A HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

BEGINNING WITH THE 

Tree of Life, and Up to fhe Twentieth Century 



BY 

John T. Robinson 



PRICE, $1.25 







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Elder J. T. Robinson, Iuka, Miss 



A HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



Beginning with the 

Tree of Life, up to the Twentieth Century; in- 
cluding several topics from the Bible; the Doc- 
trine and Practice of the Church from the Apostles 
to the present; some sketches from Hassell's and 
Griffin's Histories; together with the Constitution 
of the Associations, their Churches, Covenants, 
Articles of Faith, Rules of Decorum, Constitutions, 
Fastors and Membership of the Primitive Baptist 
Churches of Mississippi, showing some departures, 
and when, from the Primitive Church. What the 
Church was called under the different periods of 
time and proving who is Apostolic in Origin, Doc- 
trine and Practice. Pilate's, supposed Letter to 
Caesar. The Priest's Oath. My own Experience 
and Call. Seven Articles of the Old Philadelphia 
and London Confessions of Faith. 



Compiled by 

John T. Robinson 

Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss. 
Price, $1.25 



CAYCES & TURNER, Printers and Publishers 

Martin, Tennessee 

1912 






> 



Copyright 1912 
by J. T. Robinson 



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CU312140 






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We, the New Hope Association, hereby request El- 
der John T. Robinson, of Iuka, Miss., to have his manu- 
scripts, — written on the History of the Church, and the 
Bible, together with a supplement of the Primitive Bap- 
tists of Mississippi, their Associations, Constitutions, 
Churches, Covenants, Articles of Faith, Rules of De- 
corum, Pastors and Membership of their respective 
Churches of this State, — printed in a book. 

Signed by order of the Association. 

Elder J. T. Blanchard, Moderator. 

A. J. Gresham, Clerk. 

September 9, 1911. 



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THE GOSPEL CHURCH. 

The beginning of the Gospel Church by "John The 
Baptist," Forerunner and Ambassador of Christ. A. 
D. 30. 

The church under John's adminstration — six 
months. 

The church under Christ's personal Adminstration 
— three years. 

The Church under the Apostles — thirty-six years. 

The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. 
Acts xi. 26. A. D. 41. 

The Gospel Church has been under the Holy Ghost 
— 1878 years. 

The church is under the Comforter or Holy Ghost 
Dispensation now, and will be till Christ comes again 
in person to earth. 

The Greece of the Old Testament included Mace- 
donia, Thessaly, Epirus, Hellus or Greece, and Morea. 
The Greek church went out of the Apostolic church in 
the latter part of the First Century. The population 
of the Greek church, exclusive of the "Uniates" and the 
"heretics," is computed as follows: In Russia, 50,000,- 
000: Turkey, 12,000,000: Kingdom of Greece, Monte- 
negro, etc., 800,000 : Austrian dominions, 2,800,000 : 
Patriarchate of Alexander, 5,000 : Patriarchate of 
Antioch, with the Autocephalous Metropolitanate of 
Cyprus, 150,000 : Patriarchate of Jerusalem, 15,000 — 
total 65,770,000.— Watson's Dictionary, p. 453. 

As the gospel spread in the first ages both east and 
west, the first Christian churches were so dominated. 



8 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

From the languages respectfully used in their devotions, 
they were also called the Greek, Latin, or Roman church- 
es. For the first seven centuries these churches pre- 
served a friendly communion with each other, notwith- 
standing they disagreed as to the time of keeping Easter, 
and some other points. But about the middle of the 
eighth century, disputes arose, which terminated in a 
schism, that continues to this day. It arose out of a 
controversy respecting the use of images in the church- 
es. The Greeks believed the Holy Ghost came from the 
Father only. In the eleventh century the flame broke 
out a fresh, and a total separation took place. 

The principle points which distinguish the Greek 
church from the Latin are as follows : 

The Greeks maintain that the Holy Ghost proceeds 
from the Father only, and not from the Father and 
Son. They disown the authority of the pope. In 
baptism they practice trine immersion, or dip three 
times. Their crism is called the unction with ointment, 
holding the place of confirmation in that of the Roman. 
They 'believe in transubstantiation. 

Five orders of priesthood belong to the ' Greek 
church; namely, bishops, priests, deacons, sub-deacons, 
and readers. The' head of the Greek church is the 
Patriarch, elected by twelve bishops. The Greek 
church now comprehends a considerable part of Greece, 
the Grecian isles, Wallachia, Moldavia, Egypt, Abys- 
sinia, Nubia, Lybia, Arabia, Messopotamia, Syria, 
Cilicia, Palestine, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, the 
Russian empire in Europe, part of Siberia, Astrakhan, 
Cason and Georgia. 

The Roman Catholic church, or Church of Rome are 
otherwise called Papists, from, the pope being consider- 
ed by them as the supreme head of the universal church, 
the successor of St. Peter, and the fountain of theolog- 
ical truth and ecclesiastical honors. 

The pope keeps his court in great state at the 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 9 

place of the Vatican, and it attended by seventy cardi- 
nals as his privy counsellors, in imitation of the seventy 
disciples of our Lord. The principal dogmas of this re- 
ligion are as follows: 

First. — That St. Peter was deputed by Christ to be 
his vicar, and the head of the Catholic church; and 
that the bishops of Rome, being his successors, have the 
same aposto'lic authority; for our Saviour said in Matt 
xvi. 18, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build 
my church;" by which rock they understand St. Peter 
himself, as the name signifies, and not his confession, 
as the Protestants explain it. And a succession in the 
church being now supposed necessary under the New 
Testament, — as Aaron had his succession under the old 
dispensation, which was a figure of the new — this suc- 
cession can now, they contend, be shown only in the 
chair of St. Peter at Rome, where, it is asserted, he 
presided twenty-five years previous to his death; there-- 
fore the bishops of Rome are his true successors. 

Second. — That the Roman Catholic church is the 
mother and mistress of all churches, and can not 
err in matters of faith ; for the church has the 
promise of the Spirit of God to lead it into all truth, 
John xvi. 13 ; "And the gates of hell shall not prevail 
against it." — Matt. xvi. 18. Christ a'lso, who is himself 
the truth, has promised to the pastors and teachers of 
the church to be with them "Alway, even unto the end 
the world." Matt, xxviii. 20. "It is from the testimony 
and authority of thei church, therefore, they say, "that 
we receive the scriptures as the word of God." 

Third. — That the scriptures thus received on the 
authority of the church are not sufficient to our faith 
without apostolical traditions, which are of equal au- 
thority with the scriptures; for St. Peter assures us, 
that in St. Peter's Epistles there are "some things hard 
to be understood, which they who are unlearned and 
unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to 



10 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

their own destruction." 2nd Peter iii. 16. We are di- 
rected by St. Paul to ''stand fast, and hold the tradi- 
tions which we have been taught, whether by word or 
epistle."— 2nd Thess. ii. 15. 

Fourth. — That seven sacraments were instituted by 
Jesus Christ; namely, baptism, confirmation, eucharist, 
penance, extreme unction, orders, and matrimony; and 
that they confer grace. To prove that confirmation, or 
imposition of hands, is> a sacrament, they quote Acts 
viii. 17: 'They," the apostles, "laid their hands on 
them," believers, "and they received the Holy Ghost." 
Penance is a sacrament in which the sins we commit 
after baptism, duly repenteid of, and confessed to a 
priest, are forgiven; and which they think was insti- 
tuted by Christ himself, when He breathed upon His 
apostles, after His resurrection and said, "Receive ye 
the Holy Ghost: whose sins ye remit, are remitted; 
and whose sins ye retain, are retained." — John xx. 
23. In favor of extreme unction, or anointing 
the sick with oil, they argue from James v. 14, 15, which 
is thus rendered in the vulgate: "Is any sick among you? 
Let him call for the priests of the church, and let them 
pray over him, anointing him with oil," etc. The 
sacrament of holy orders is inferred from 1st Tim. iv. 
14 : "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given 
thee by prophecy, with the laying on the hands of the 
presbytery," or priesthood, as they render it. That mar- 
riage is a siaenament, they think evident from Eph. 
v. 32: "This is a great mystery;"- representing the mys- 
tical union of Christ and his church, "Matrimony," 
they say, is here the sign of a holy thing, and therefore 
it is a sacrament." Notwithstanding this, they enjoin 
celibacy upon the clergy, because they do not think it 
proper that those who by their office and function, ought 
to be wholly devoted to God, should be diverted from 
those duties by the distractions of a married life. — 1st 
Cor. vii. 32, 33. 






HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 11 

Fifth. — That in the mass, or public service, there 
is offered unto Gold a true and propitiatory sacrifice for 
the quick and dead; and that in the sacrament of the 
eucharist, under the forms of bread and wine, are 
really and substantially present the body and blood, to- 
gether with the soul anid divinity of our Lord Jesus 
Christ ; and that there is a conversion made of the whole 
substance of one bread into His body, and of the wine 
into His blood, which is called transubstantiation, 
according to our Lord's words to His disciples, "This is 
my body." etc. — Matt. xxvi. 26; wherefore it becomes 
with them an object of adoration. Further; it is a 
matter of discipline, not of idoctrine, in the Roman Cath- 
olic church, that the laity receive the eucharist in one 
kind, that is, in bread only. This sacrifice of the mass 
was, they think, predicted by the prophet Malachi, (i. 
11.) who says, "In every place incense shall be offered 
unto my name, and a pure offering." 

Sixth. — That there is a purgatory; and that souls 
kept prisoners there do receive help by the suffrages 
of the faithful. For it is said, in 1st Cor. iii. 15, "If any 
man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but 
he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire;" which they 
understand of the flames of purgatory. They also be- 
lieve that souls are released from purgatory by the 
prayers and alms which arei offered for them, principally 
by the holy sacrifice of the mass. They call purgatory a 
middle state of souls, into which those enter who depart 
this life in God's grace ; yet not without some less stains 
of guilt which retard them from entering heaven, 
where nothing unclean can enter. 

Seventh. — That the saints reigning with Christ 
(and especially the Blessed Virgin) are to be honored 
and invokeid; that they offer prayers unto God for us; 
and that their relics are to be had in veneration. These 
honors, however, are not divine, but relative, and re- 
dound to the divine glory, Reiv. v. 8 ; viii. 4, etc. 



12 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Eighth. — That the image of Christ, of the Blessed 
Virgin the mother, of God, and of other saints, ought 
to be retained in churches, and honor and veneration 
ought to foa given unto them. And as the images of 
cherubim were allowed in the temples, so images should 
be placed in churches, and had in veneration. 

Ninth. — That the power of indulgences was left by 
Christ to the church, and that the use of them is very 
beneficial to Christian people, according to Matt. xvi. 
19 : "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of 
heaven." By indulgences they do not mean leave to 
commit sin, nor pardon for sins to come; but only re- 
leasing, by the power of the keys committed to the 
church, the debt of temporal punishment which may 
remain due upon account of our sins, after the sins 
themselves, as to their guilt and eternal punishment, 
have been already remitted through repentance and 
confession, and by virtue of the merit of Christ, and 
of all the saints. By their indulgences they assert that 
they apply to their souls the merits of Christ, and of 
the saints and martyrs through Him. 

The total number of Romanists in the world is esti- 
mated at 164,500,000, distributed as follows: 

Rome and the Papal States, 8,000,000; Italian 
States ; Tuscany, Modina, and Parma, 2,750,000 ; Naples 
and Sicily, 8,750,000 ; Sardina, 5,000,000<; Austrian Em- 
pire, German States 11,000,000; Hungary 10,000,000; 
Italy, 5,000,000; Poland 4,000,000; Spain, 14,000,C00; 
Portugal, 3,500,000; France, 33,000,000; Belgium and 
Holland, 4,500,000; Prussia, 6,000,000; Switzerland, 
1,000,000; Russian Empire, 2,000,000; Great Britian 
and Ireland, 5,000,000 ; Turkish Empire, 3,000,000 ; 
India and China, 3,000,000; Central and South Ameri- 
ca, Mexico and West Indies 31,500,000; United States 
and British America 3,500,000. — Watson's Dictionary, 
pp. 899-901. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 13 

In the first century, Christ called his followers 
Disciples. 

In the second century, they were called Credenti. 
— Owen's History, p. 8. 

In the third century, they were called Cathari or 
Puritans. 

In the fourth century, they were called Novationists. 
0. p. 39. 

In the fifth century, they were called Donatists. — 
H. H. p. 377. 

In the sixth century, they were called Albigenes, 
Anabaptists. 

In the seventh century, they were called Anabap- 
tists or Rebaptizers. — P. 25, 26, 83. 

In the eighth century, they were called Paulicians, 
Acephali. 

In the ninth century, they were called Paterines, 
Petrobrusians. 

In the tenth century they were called Henrieians. 

In the eleventh century, they were called Arnoldists. 

In the twelfth century, they were called Cellites. — 
0. P. 61. 

In the thirteenth century, they were called Lollards. 

In the fourteenth century, they were called Wycliff- 
ites. 

In the fifteenth century, they were called Vallences 
and Picards.— H. H. P. 313. 

In the sixteenth century, they were called Mennon- 
ites and Waldenses — 0. P. 69. 

In the sixteenth land seventeenth centuries, they 
were called Biaptists. 

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries they 
were called Primitive and Missionary Baptists. 

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, they are 
called Primitive and Missionary Baptists. 

They have been called by many names, Anabaptists, 



14 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Rebaptizers; Close-Communionists, Particular or Pre- 
destinarian, Regular Baptists, Old School Baptists and 
Primitive. 

The first English Baptist church was formed in 
Amsterdam by John Smyth in 1608. 

The first American Baptist church was formed in 
Newport, Rhode Island by John Clark and eleven others 
in 1638. 

The Episcopal church was originated by King 
Henry VIII. King of England, A. D. 1215. 

The Lutheran church was originated by Martin 
'Luther, A. D. 1520. 

The Old School Presbyterian church was originated 
by John Calvin, A. D. 1649. 

The Congregational church was originated by Rob- 
ert and John Robinson, A. D. 1585. 

The Methodist Episcopal church was originated by 
John Wesley, A. D. 1729. 

The Cumberland Presbyterian church was originat- 
ed in 1858. 

The Protestant Episcopal Methodist church was 
originated 1830. 

The Seventh Day Baptist church was originated 
by Conrad Beissel, A. D. 1770. 

The Free-Will Baptist church was originated by 
Benjamin Randall, A. D. 1780, at New Amsterdam, 
N. H, 

The Missionary Baptist church was originated by 
Andrew Fuller and William Cary at Kettering, England, 
A. D. 1792. 

The Missionary Baptist church was organized in 
America by Judson and Rice, 1833. 

Alexander Campbell originated what is now called 
the Christian church in 1827. 

The Mormon church was originated by Joseph 
Smith in 1830. 

For references concerning these dates, and the 



HISTORY ' OF THE CHURCH 15 

founders of the above named churches, see Watson's 
Bible Dictionary, HasselPs Church History, and Illus- 
trated Book of All Religions. 

Robert Raikes, of Gloucester, England, is generally 
admitted to have been the founder of modern Sunday 
schools. In 1781 he hired teachers to instruct some 
poor children in Gloucester in reading and in the cate- 
chism on Sunday. His example was extensively imitat- 
ed in the British Isles and the United States; and by 
the end of the eighteenth century the instruction hiaid 
almost universally become gratuitous, and was said to 
be far superior to what it was before, because now 
springing from pure (benevolence. It is claimed by the 
Methodists that John Wesley, first in 1784, suggested 
that the instruction should be gratuitous, and also ex- 
pressed the hope that Sunday schools would become 
nurseries for Christians." — H. H, 

Instrumental music was introduced into the Cath- 
olic church by the Pope of Rome A. D. 666. — Mosheini 
Vol. 1. p. 296. 

The reader will observe that the Greek Catholics 
were in the Apostolic church; but separated from the 
Faith ; that the Roman Catholics were in fellowship with 
the Greek church until the seventh century when the 
canon of the church was changed by the inability of the 
Pope, and the Greek patriarch excommunicated the 
Pope and his legates publicly, in the church of St. 
Sophia, A. D. 1054. Papalism began in the third cen- 
tury in Rome by Constantine, who was the first Pope 
A. D. 325. 

Henry VIII. , of England, coming out of the Roman 
Catholic church, declared himself head of the church, 
and A. D. 1215 set up the Episcopal church. 

In 1520, Martin Luther, a German, set up the 
Lutheran church out of the Roman Catholic. 

John Calvin came out of the Lutheran church and 
set up the Old School Presbyterian church. 



16 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

In 1810, a division was started in the Presbyterian 
church in Southwestern Kentucky by Rev. James Mc- 
Gready, a remarkable revivalist, and by the ordination 
of ministers who did not possess the educational quali- 
fications required by the constitution of the church ; and 
in 1858 the division resulted in the Cumberland Presby- 
terian church. 

In 1585 the Congregational church was organized 
from the Lutheran church. 

In 1870 the Free-Will Baptist church was organiz- 
ed blending together the doctrine of the Congregational 
and Presbyterian churches, by Benjamin Randall. 

John Wesley lived and died a priest in the Episco- 
pal church ; but was the founder of Methodism, coming 
from the Episcopal church of England. 

Alexander Campbell joined the Old School Presby- 
terian church in 1811, and lived with them until 1813, 
when he and his father Thomas Campbell, who had 
been in the Presbyterian- church a number of years, 
formed a Baptist church, which was admitted in 1813 in- 
to the Red Stone Association. The original Baptist 
doctrine was life first, being the cause of the fruit of 
regeneration. The two Campbells, father and son, re- 
versed this order of doctrine to faith, repentance, be- 
lief and baptism; and then eternal life would inevitably 
follow as the result of these causes, which would make 
the fruit of regeneration the cause of regeneration. The 
Baptists would not have this doctrine; then under the 
leadership of Alexander Campbell, his followers be- 
came a distinct sect in 1827. 

There are said to be over 1200 sects, or different 
denominations, now in the world. We can not mention 
them all in so small a book; but have used some that we 
are most familiar with. We do not think it is the church, 
or sect, that saves us ; yet we do not believe in but one 
true organized church. "In all ages since the first, the 
Baptists have believed their denomination more ancient 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 17 

than themselves. The American Baptists deny that 
they owe their origin to Roger Williams. . The Eng'lish 
Baptists will not grant that John Smyth or Thomas 
Helwysse was their founder. The Welsh Baptists stren- 
ously contend that they received their creed in the first 
century, from those who had obtained it direct from the 
apostles themselves. The Dutch Baptists trace their 
spiritual pedigree up to the same source. The German 
Baptists maintained that they were older than the Re- 
formation, older than the corrupt hierarchy which it 
sought to reform. The Waldensian Baptists boasted an 
ancestry far older than Waldo, older than the most an- 
cient of their predecessors in the vales of Piedmont. So, 
too, may we say of the Lollards, Henricians, Paterines, 
Paulicians, Donatists and other ancient Baptists, that 
they claim an origin more ancient than that of the men 
or the circumstances from which they derived their pe- 
culiar appellations. If in any instance the stream of 
descent is lost to human eye, in "the remote depths of 
antiquity," they maintain that it ultimately reappears 
and reveals its source in Christ and His apostles." — 
Illustrated Book of All Religions. 
CONTENTS. 

1. The Gospel or Organized Church. 

2. The Tree of Life. 

3. The Church Under Types. 

4. Mohammedism. 

5. The Protestant Reformation. 

6. The Independents. 

7. The Friends or Quakers. 

8. Baptist Churches in Europe. 

9. Swendenborigianism, or New Jerusalem Church. 

10. Glassites. 

11. Poets. 

12. Methodism. 

13. Baptist Churches in the United States. 

14. A Circular Letter. 



18 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

15. Call to The Ministry. 

16. The OM Philadelphia and London Confessions 
of Faith, 

17. Predestination. 

18. Absolute Predestination of All Things. 

19. From Zion's Advocate. 

20. The Two Covenants. 

21. The Catholic Priest's Oath. 

22. Total Depravity. 

23. Infant Salvation. 

24. Salvation of the Heathen. 

25. The Babe in Christ or Regeneration and Re- 
newing of the Holy Ghost. 

26. Feet Washing. 

27. Two Baptisms, Spiritual and Water. 

28. Ezekiel xviii. 20-28. 

29. The Seven Attributes of God. 

30. Dreams. 

•31. Joseph is Yet Alive. 

32. Hearing without a preacher. 

33. Thei Word of God. 

34. Support of the Ministry. 

35. The Resurrection. 

36. Theophilus and Melchisedee. 

37. Wheel in the middle of a wheel. 

38. Pilate's Letter. 

39. My Experience and Call to the Ministry. 

40. First Baptists in Mississippi. 

41. Mississippi Association. 

42. Preamble. 

43. Articles of Faith. 

44. Rules of Decorum. 

45. Powers of the Association. 

46. Extract from the Minutes. 

47. A Chapter on Modern Missions. 

48. The Primitive Baptists of Mississippi at Pres- 
ent. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 19 

49. Regular Baptist Association. 

50. Tallahatchie Association. 

51. Primitive Association. 

52. New Hope Association. 

53. Bethany Association. 

54. Tombigbee Association. 

55. Little Black Association. 

56. Hopewell. 

57. Zion's Rest Association. 

58. Little Ziom Association. 

59. Good Hope Association. 

60. Amite Association. 



THE CHURCH 



THE TREE OF LIFE. 

» 
"The Tree of Life also in the midst of the garden." 

(Gen. ii. 9. iii. 22). She is a tree of life to them that 
lay hold upon her ; and happy is every one that retaineth 
her." (Prov. iii. 18). 

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit 
say-fiith unto the churches ; To him that overcometh will 
I give to eiat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of 
the paradise of God." (Rev. ii. 7). This text proves 
that one must have an ear before he can hear, and that 
he must have hearing before he will know what to over- 
come. (See subject, "How they Hear"). Unto Adam 
and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, 
and clothed them. (Gen. iii. 21). This is the first prom- 
ise and type of a Saviour, and one of the reasons why 
Cain's offering was not accepted; it had no blood or 
promise of the Savioun; but was the labor of his own 
hands. The next verse tellsi us, that Adam would have 
taken of the tree of life, eaten and lived forever, if the 
Lord had not driven him from the garden. This tree 
could not have been Christ; for Adam, had heard His 
voice walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and 



20 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Church (Wisdom or Spiritual Kingdom) in which one 
can hear, taste, eat and drink spiritually before he has 
ever heard of Christ or the organic chruch, 

According to God's word, as long as Adam remain- 
ed in the garden, eating and drinking of the tree of life, 
he never would have died naturially ; but Adam had 
violated God's holy and righteous law and the penalty 
was death. God told him, "In the day thou eatest there- 
of, thou shalt surely die." And Adam died to the laws 
of trespasses and sin the day in which God said he 
would; but not the natural or corporal death on that 
same day. The natural death necessarily followed the 
death of sin, or the death to trespasses and sin brought, 
or was the cause of natural death. 

The cherubims or angels were the prophets and 
apostles, and the flaming sword which turned every 
way to keep the tree of life was the word of the Lord, 
with which the prophets and apostles were to keep the 
way of the tree of life. So they were not to keep Christ, 
as He keeps Himself ; but they were to keep the; way of 
the church. Now, if. the church was not back there, 
the way of it certainly was therie, and when they were 
keeping the way of the tree of life, it certainly looks 
like they were 'keeping church, as they had the flaming 
sword, or the word ; and the sword of the Spirit is called 
the word of God." (Eph. vi. 17) Therefore this flam- 
ing sword must be the, same word that 'came unto John 
in the wilderness." (Luke iii. 12). "And the Lord God 
said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know 
good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, 
and take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: 
Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden 
of Eden, to till the ground from the whence he was 
taken. So He drove out the man ; and He placed at the 
east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming 
Christ's own testimony says, "Hie; that heareth shall 
live." (Jno: v. 25). So this tree of life must be the 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 21 

sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the 
tree of Ufa" (Gen. iii. 22-24). 

"That is he, that was in the church in the wilderness 
with the angel which spake to him in the Mount Sina 
and with ourl fathers : who received the lively oracles to 
give unto us: (Acts. vii. 38). "And I say also unto thee, 
That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my 
church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against 
it." (Matt. xvi. 18). The gates of hell here are the 
grave. David said, "He will not leave my soul in hell,' 
referring to Christ's body in the grave. As the verb 
"will build" in- the above text is in the future tense, 
some claim that .the church was not set up until Pente- 
cost, when the Holy Ghost was poured out on the 
apostles. But Matthew xviii. 17 will destroy that idea. 
"And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the 
church." This was spoken in the year A. D. 32 and 
Pentecost was not until the latter part of A. D. 33. If 
the church was not set up until after the apostles were 
endued with power from on high, why did the Saviour 
before His death and resurrection and the descension of 
the Holy Ghost, say in the year A. D. 32, "Tell it to the 
church?" How could you tell anything to the church 
and it not there ? The verb is sometime used in one tense 
to denote another tense; for instance, "Before Abra- 
ham was I am." This means before Abraham was I was. 
Then if biblical authority uses the present tense for the 
past, it also could use the future for the present. "Upon 
this rock I will build my church" is used in the sense of 
upon this rock I am building my church; for He was 
building it at the time He used this language. The 
prlophets preached the resurrection of the body before 
the resurrection of the body actually took place. The 
apostles were not to baptize in the name of the Holy 
Ghost until after they were endued with the miraculous 
power of the Holy Ghost being breiathed on them (John 
xx. 22)., and after they were filled with it on the day 



22 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

tion, ascension of the Saviour, and deseension of the 
Holy Ghost and filling them with power on the day of 
Pentecost. If Christ built Hist church upon Peter 
then he would have no use for Christ, and the Catholics 
would have that much of their apostolic succession cor- 
rect; but instead of building it upon Peter, He built it 
upon Peter's faith or confession; for He said flesh and 
blood had not revealed this faith to him; but His Father 
which was in heaven. My church is revelation, "The 
kingdom of God cometh not with observation." "The 
kingdom of God is within you." Christ was not referring 
to the organic church when He used this language. 
Afterward He brought me 'again unto ■ the door of the 
house." — Ezekiel xlvii. 1. "I lifted up mine eyes again 
and behold a man with ,a measuring line in his hand." — 
Zech. ii. 1. "Open thy doons, Lebanon, that the fire 
may devour thy cedars." — Zech. xi. 1. "And He showed 
me a pure river of water of life, clear ias crystal, pro- 
ceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In 
the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the 
river, was there the tree of life, which bear twelve 
manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month: 
and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the 
nations." — Rev. xxii. 1-2. "Blessed are they that do 
His commandments, that they may have right to the 
tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into 
the city." — Rev. xxii. 14. If you will notice closely, you 
will see Christ connected with this tree of life which 
would make Christ connected with Christ if the tree of 
life were Christ. Notice this river proceeded from the 
throne of God and of the Lamb. The Lamb here is 
Christ. If the tree were Christ, it would be Christ pro- 
ceeding from Christ, but the tree is standing in the 
midst of the street of the river) coming from the throne 
of God and of the Lamb. David said there is a river 
of Pentecost. The propaganda of the gospel was not 
to be preached in all the world until after the resurirec- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 23 

the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God.'' 
(Psalms xlvi. 4). Here is the church expressed again as 
a city and the same river as spoken of above. The river 
is God's love, the stream's His blessing, and the street 
of it is the way of the church. "Strait is the gate and 
narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few 
there be that find it." (Matt. vii. 14). Now we find 
the church in the middle of God's love, and on either 
side His love. Here the church stood in his purpose, 
wisdom and love before and; after the world. 

Let us look at worship by dividing chronology into 
eight epochs from the creation of the world to the com- 
ing of Christ and see if we can find the church under 
each epoch. 

First Epoch. — The creation of the world accord- 
ing to the Vulgate Bible of the Julian period, was 4004 
years B. C. The church manifested as the tree of life, 
the clothing of Adam and Eve with skins both in front 
and behind, and Abel's offering. Here we see the prom- 
ises of the church both in front of Adam and Eve and 
behind them, as they were clothed in front and behind. 

Second Epoch. — The deluge, which, according to the 
Hebrew text, happened in the year of the world 1656. 
The church under the prophets. "Ye are built upon the 
foundation of the apostles and prophets." — Eph. ii. 20-22. 

Third Epoch. — The building of Babel, which was, 
according to Dr. Hales, B. C. 2554. Manifestation or 
beginning of Babylon which means confusion. Babylon 
comes from Baby, confused tongue. 

Fourth Epoch.— The calling of Abraham, B. C. 
2153. The offering of Isaac, the promised seed, the 
calling of Rebecca and Rachel. The church under types, 
shadows, symbols land metaphors. 

Fifth Epoch. — The departure of the children of 
Israel out of Egypt B. C. 1648. The church in the 
wilderness. Acts vii. 38. 

Sixth Epoch.— The dedication of the temple, B. C. 



24 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

1027. The church under divers meats, drinks, wash- 
ings, incense, sprinklings, sacrifices and offerings. 

Seventh Epoch. — The end of the Babylonish cap- 
tivity, B. C. 556. The church under admonitions, "Come 
out of her, my people, and be ye separate. Come out of 
Babylon." 

Eighth Epoch.— The birth of Jesus Christ, A. D. 1. 

Ezekiel divided this time into four epochs. 

1. "The man with the line in his hand measured a 
thousand cubits; the waters came to my ankles and he 
brought me through the waters." This was the first 
epoch, or from the creation of the world to the pro- 
phesies. 

2. "The man with the line measures a thousand, 
the waters came to my knees and he brought me through 
the waters." This was the second epoch, on from the 
prophecies to the flood. 

3. "He measures a thousand cubits the waters 
came to my loins; and he brought me through the 
waters." This was the third Epoch, or the time from 
the flood to the carrying away of the children of Israel 
into Babylon. 

4. "Afterwards he measured a thousand cubits; 
and it was a river that I could not pass over ; for the 
waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could 
not be passed over." (Eze. 47 c). This was from 
Babylon to the advent of our blessed Redeemer making 
the four thousand years from the creation of the world 
four epochs to the birth of Christ. In all the foregoing 
we see the church in types, symbols, shadows and 
metaphors, not visible until the fulfilling of the prophecy 
of Daniel (ii. 44), which was to be set up manifestly, 
during the days of the Roman Catholic Emperors. 
Ezekiel said, "These waters issued out of the sanctuary." 
Isaiah said, "Come ye to the waters." As the sanctuary 
is in the church, these waters must be in the church. 
Then if there were waters in the sanctuary and the 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 25 

sanctuary or holy place in existence in the days of the 
prophets, it looks very plain that there was a church in 
the days of the prophets. Notice Ezekiel says, in the 
fourth thousand years the waters became a river to 
swim in. This epoch refers you to the advent of the 
Saviour, the setting up of His kingdom, and by saying 
'to swim in' refers you to baptism by immersion under 
the new covenant. Hence these waters all belong to the 
gospel and to the church; but are waters in the plural 
number to quench spiritual thirst. 

The first and second years of chronology, man is 
viewed under the patriarch ; the second and third thou- 
sand, under the prophets; the third and fourth thou- 
sand, under Moses; the leader of Israel and type of 
Christ, and fifth and sixth thousand years under the 
gospel kingdom, making three dispensations of time. 

1. The Prophetic. 

2. The Law and Levitical Priesthood. 

3. The Gospel or Christian Era. 

As God made Abraham the Great Patriarch of the 
Israelites, He said, "Get thee out of thy country, and 
from thy kindred, and come unto the land which I shall 
shew thee." Did you ever see the church in any prettier 
figure than the above? "Get thee out of my country." 
This is getting out of your native sins after God has 
shown the way. "And from thy kindred." From one's 
natural born inheritance, which is born in sin ; and come 
"unto a land which I shall show thee," the church, which 
evidently proves that one is active in obeying God and 
in joining the church." — Gen. xii. 1. King James trans- 
lation. B. C. 2247. 

The children of Israel, were four hundred years in 
Egypt, under Samuel one prophet forty years then under 
kings until "God according to his promise raised unto 
•Israel a Saviour, Jesus." 

The figure of regeneration and Salvation : 

1. The Call. 



26 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

2. Egypt, meaning darkness. 

3. The Red Sea, Christ's blood. 

4. The wind, the Spirit. 

5. The wilderness, doubt. 

6. The river Jordan, baptism. 

7. Canaan, the church. Seven steps in traveling 
from nature's darkness into the marvelous light and 
liberty of the gospel kingdom or from nature to grace, 
or from the world into the church. 

In viewing the church under the Abrahamic cove- 
nant, the law and the prophets, Israel was looking for 
the coming of the Messiah, which was foretold by all 
the prophets. As it was the custom in those days, when 
a king was going into a new country, to send his am- 
bassador ahead, John the Baptist was sent as the fore- 
runner of Christ. 'Tor this is he that was spoken of by 
the prophet Esaias, (The Greek word for Isaiah) saying, 
the voice of one crying in the ' wilderness, Prepare ye 
the way of the Lord, make His paths straight." Isaiah 
specifies John's mission in this text. We are coming to 
the fulfilling of Daniel's propecy. "And in the days of 
these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, 
which shall never be destroyed : and the kingdom shall 
not be left to other people, 'but it shall break in pieces 
and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for- 
ever." I do not think it necessary however, to stop here 
to explain that John the Baptist was in the church 
under the new covenant; but as some who may read 
this book, may not believe that John was in any church, 
or if he was, he was under the law. If John had been 
under the law, Christ never would have recognized his 
work, neither would the Father nor the Holy Spirit. In 
fact, baptism never was practical under the first cove- 
nant. "The law and the prophets were until John: since 
that time the kingdom of God is preached and every 
man presseth into it."— Luke xvi. 16. "And from the 
days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 27 

heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by 
force."— Matt. xi. 12. The above references are enough 
to prove that John was not under the law. 

John's Authority. — The baptism of John, whence 
was it? from heaven or of men? (Matt. xxi. 25). Who 
did Daniel say should set up this kingdom? Who gave 
John his authority? The same God that set up this 
church. If you were to assist in putting up a building, 
would that not prove that you were under the architect 
of the building? 

The church now under the gospel dispensation, 
means "drawn out," a congregation of baptized believers 
with a regular ordained preacher, met together in the 
name of the Lord ready to perform church work and 
separate out from the world. If John was with bap- 
tized believers, performing church work, then he was 
in the church. John came saying, "Repent : for the king- 
dom of heaven is at 'hand." How could John have 
preached the kingdom and not be in it? If he was not 
in the church, who baptized Christ and the apostles into 
the church? Their baptism was valid; for we have no 
account of their rebaptism. The twelve Paul had re- 
baptized said they were baptized unto John's baptism; 
but the reason of this was that John's formula of bap- 
tism was changed, but the Holy Ghost had not been 
given so that they could baptize in His name. Apollos 
had baptized them with John's formula "Unto Repent- 
ance," but this had been changed to the name of the 
"Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost," the 
valid formula now in use for baptism. It is necessary 
here to state that this kingdom, referred to by Daniel 
is the organic church, the visible kingdom. When Christ 
came, He changed the law of the church. (See "The 
Two Covenants.") John's father Zacharias was dumb 
because .he believed not the angel who said, "Thy pray- 
er is heard ; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear the a 
son, and thou shalt call his name John. For he shall 



28 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither 
wine nor strong drink and he shall be filled with the 
Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. (Luke i. 1, 
3-15). This is when and where John was baptized. The 
Savior said, "He that is least in the Kingdom is greater 
than John the Baptist," He evidently meant greater in 
the sense of seeing more of the kingdom, as John never 
lived to see the completion of the kingdom. The angel 
named him John, the Saviour put the Baptist to it and 
the evangelists called him John the Baptist. Hence his 
full name is of heavenly origin. He was six months old- 
er than the Saviour in age and in the ministry. "Now 
in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, 
Pontius Pilate toeing governor of Judea, and Herod be- 
ing Tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch 
of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis and Lysanias, 
as the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being 
the high priests, the word of God came unto John the 
son of Zacharia-s in the wilderness. And he came into 
all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of 
repentance for the remission of sins. As it is written in 
the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, in the 
wilderness saying, prepare ye the way of the Lord, 
make his paths straight." — Luke iii. 1-5. Here is where 
John got his authority to preach and baptize. 

As it was the custom of eastern princes in their 
visits to distant nations, to send heralds or messengers 
before therm to notify the people in advance of their 
coming, our Saviour, The Prince of Peace, King of 
Kings, and Lord of lords, sent His messenger before His 
face, both in His birth and ministerial character, six 
months in advance. "The beginning of the gospel of 
Jesus Christ, the Son of God; as it is written in the 
prophets, "Behold I send my messenger before thy face, 
which shall prepare the way before thee." "Make His 
paths straight." John did baptize in the wilderness, 
and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 29 

of sins. (Mark i. 1-4). He taught the coming of 
Christ, The setting up of the gospel kingdom 'here on 
earth and pointed to Christ saying, "Behold the Lamb 
of God which taketh a Way the sin of the world." (John 
i. 29). "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain 
and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be 
made straight, and the rough ways shall be made 
smooth ; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God." — 
Luke iii. 5-6. Filled with the Holy Ghost from before 
his birth unworldly and unselfish. He disdained the 
luxuries of men. He fearlessly rebuked not only the 
Scribes, Pharisees and soldiers, but even king Herod, for 
their sins; and he pointed men away from himself 
to the atoning Lamb of God. He labored for a short 
season, then he disappeared as the red dawn in the 
splendor of the rising Sun of the new covenant. He 
was beheaded in prison by that cruel monster Herod to 
please a dancing damsel and her blood-thirsty mother; 
and his followers attached themselves to Christ arid His 
apostles. 

"The angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city 
of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a 
man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; 
and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came 
unto her, and said, "Hail thou that art highly favoured, 
the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, 
and cast in her mind what manner of «sialutation this 
should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary : 
for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou 
shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and 
shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be 
called the Son of the Highest arid the Lord God shall 
give unto Him the throne of His father David. And He 
shall reign over the house of Jacob forever ; and of His 
kingdom there shall be no end. And the angel answered 
and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon 



30 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow 
thee : therefore also that holy thing which shall be born 
of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Luke i. 26-36). 
"And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord. And 
my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he 
hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden; for, 
behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me 
blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me gretat 
things and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them 
that fear him from generation to generation." "And it 
came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree 
from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be tax- 
ed." "And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own 
city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee ; out of the 
city of Nazareth into Judea, unto the city of David, 
which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house 
of the lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his 
espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, 
that, while they were there, the days were accomplished 
that she should be delivered. And she brought forth 
her first born son; and wrapped him in swaddling 
clothes, and laid him in a manger ; because there was no 
room for them in the inn. And there were in the same 
country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch 
over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the 
Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone 
round about them; and they were sore afraid. And 
the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold I bring 
you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all peo- 
ple. For unto you is born this day in the city of David 
a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord, And this shall be 
a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in 
swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly 
there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly 
host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the 
highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." 
"And when eight days were accomplished for the cir- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 31 

cumeision of the child, his name was called Jesus, 
which was so named of the angel before he was con- 
ceived in the womb. (Luke ii. chapter.) Some claim this 
circumcision of the Saviour when eight days old to be 
the basic authority for sprinkling infants; but if cir- 
cumcision were in lieu of baptism, they would not have 
circumcised and baptized him too: for whichever is 
used for the other, stands in lieu of the other, and would 
make Christ and all the apostles baptized twice. If 
baptism were to take the place of circumcision, circum- 
cision would stand for baptism ; and as Christ went and 
had his done over when he was initiated into the church, 
it looks reasonable that all who have been circumcised 
or sprinkled ought to do like Christ, go and have it 
done over. For this evidently does prove that his parents 
did recognize circumcision under the law, as the first 
step into the legal church; but his parents did this as 
he came under the law to fulfill the law. (See The Two 
Covenants). 

His name like that of John was from heaven and 
He was named before He was born, circumcised at eight 
days old, "And the child grew, and waxed strong in 
spirit, filled with wisdom : and the grace of God was up- 
on him." "And when He was twelve years old, his 
parents went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the 
feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they re- 
turned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem ; and 
Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they sup- 
posing him to have been in the company, went a day's 
journey; and they sought him among their kinfolk and 
acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turn- 
ed back again to Jerusalem, seeking him." After three 
days they found him in the temple, (Sitting in the midst 
of doctors, both hearing them and asking them ques- 
tions." All "were astonished at his understanding and 
and answers." His parents were "amazed: and His 
mother said unto Him, Son, why hast thou thus dealc 



32 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee 
sorrowing." He said, "How is it that ye sought me? 
wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business ?" 
And He went down with them and was subject unto 
them. "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature,' 
and in favour with God and man. (Luke ii. 41-52). It 
will not do to take the above for proof, that children 
know good from evil at the age of twelve years 1 . The 
Saviour increased in statue, waxed strong in Spirit, fill- 
ed with wisdom. He was always wisdom. This being 
true, asking and answering the doctors' questions only 
manifested, that he was wisdom from above; not to 
teach us that at that age was the proper time for chil- 
dren to join the church. (See Infant Salvation). 

Jesus being thirty years old,— this was the age a 
priest must be to enter his priestly office, — came to John 
to be baptized of him in the river Jordan. John re- 
fused, feeling his inferiority to the Son of God; but 
Jesus said, "Suffer it to be so now; for thus it becometh 
us to fulfill all righteousness 1 : Then he suffered Him:" 
"And, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my be- 
loved Son in whom I am well pleased." (Matt. iii. 13- 
17). 

"God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, were present 
on that occasion to honor the sacred rite of baptism and 
set apart the Messiah for the work of the gospel ministry. 
This office He then took upon Himself, and henceforth 
proclaimed the principles 1 of the gospel kingdom till the 
time of His crucifixion. John was the forerunner of 
Jesus; he was filled with the Holy : Ghost from his moth- 
er's womb, his name came from heaven, and his author- 
ity to. baptize came. from .heaven also, The evangelists 
call him "John the Baptist." The Saviour, having been 
baptized, by him,, was surely a "Baptist," and as He went, 
forth preaching His own gospel He was necessarily a 
"Baptist preacher," thereby affording example for all 
His ministerial followers to the end of the world. And 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 35 

here is where the Baptists came from. An unbaptized 
person has ho Bible authority to preach the gOspel." — 
Hassell p. 184. ; : : ' .' 

"The Saviour's followers, were few in, number while 
He was here ..on earth; but greatly increased in number 
after His. resurrection and ascension. He first sent out 
twelve to preach, and then seventy disciples, but their 
success appeared to, be limited as to numbers.. Twelve 
■appears to refer to the twelve patriarchs, and the num- 
ber seventy to the seventy elders under the Jewish dis- 
pensation ; and that the former were to be superseded by 
the latter. Jesus called whomsoever he would to him and 
thus set up his gospel kingdom in the world. He ordain- 
ed twelve t to attend His ministry in person, to be wit- 
nesses of his miracles, his. doctrine, and resurrection, 
and to occupy twelve thrones. as judges of the twelve 
tribes of Israel, to hand down to all succeeding gener- 
ations, spiritually the principles of the gospel kingdom. 
As apostles, they had no successors, therefore all mat- 
ters of faith and practice must be referred to them and 
their writings. They received their instructions from the 
Saviour. He commanded them to teach and baptize 
people who believed in Him, and to teach them to observe 
all things whatsoever He had commanded them,. (Matt. 
xxviii. 19-20). As a prophet had said, "Behold a king 
shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall . rule in 
judgement." (Isaiah xxxii. 1.) The names of the 
twelve apostles were "Simon; who is called Peter, and 
Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John 
his brother ; Philip and Bartholomew ; Thomas and 
Matthew the publican; James the. son of Alpheus; 
Lebeus, whose -surname was Thaddeus ; Simon the 
Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him." 
..(Matt. x. 2-4). 

. Dear reader, I would have you remember the, follow- 
ing thoughts: Jesus during His ministry had no home, 
no earthly possessions, no friends among the mighty and 



34 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

the rich. A few pious women filled His purse and this 
was in the hands of the thief and a traitor. He chose 
to associate with publicans and sinners, to raise them 
to a higher and nobler life. First, because they believed 
in Him. Second, 'because they were despised and neg- 
lected by the hierarchy of the day. He never courted 
the favor of the great, but incurred their hatred and 
persecution. He never p flattered the prejudices of the 
age, but rebuked sin and vice in every place, aiming 
His greatest blow at the self-righteuos scribes and 
Pharisees who loved the uppermost seats, blind leaders 
of the blind. He never encouraged the: Messianic hopes 
of the people; but withdrew whenever they wanted to 
make Him king and declared before the representation 
of Rome that His kingdom was not of this world. He 
sealed His ministry with His own blood, and announced 
to His disciples His martydom, and promised them in 
this life only the <same baptism of blood. He got weary 
and tired and would often sit down to rest; but never 
tired of His work of love, speaking words of life and 
spirit, working miracles of power and mercy, going 
about doing good, "healing all that were oppressed of 
the devil." He chose for himself the humblest Messiah's 
title, 'the Son of Man; which in its expression implies 
that He was more than man, is now more than mian, 
having come as a man in temporary humiliation, while 
at the same time under this title, He proved that He 
was the unique perfect ideal and representative of the 
highest antetypical man. 'The Son of Man,' who 'hath 
not where to lay His head,' came not to be ministered 
unto but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for 
many; who hath power to forgive sins,' who 'came to 
seek and to save that which was lost.' The learned John 
L. Worsheim said, "All Christians must know the life 
and actions of Jesus Christ. They must know that for 
the space of three years, He instructed the Jews in the 
will and counsel of the Most High, and omitted that 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 35 

which in the course of His ministry, could contribute to 
gain the multitude or charm the wise. Every one knows 
that His life was a continued scene of perfect sanctity, 
of the present and most active virtue, not only without 
spot, but also beyond the reach of suspicion — the only 
perfectly wise, perfectly sinless, and perfectly benevo- 
lent being that ever walked this earth, according to the 
unanimous acknowledgement of the human race ; and it 
is also well known that, by miracles of the most stu- 
pendous kind, and not more stupendous than salutary 
and benevolent, He displayed to the universe the truth 
of that religion which he brought with Him from above, 
and demonstrated in the most illustrious manner the 
reality of His Divine commission. He avoided making 
use of the ministry of persons endowed with the advan- 
tages of fortune and birth, or enriched with eloquence 
and learning, lest the fruits of this embassy and the 
progress of the gospel should be attributed to human 
and natural causes. (1st Cor. i. 21). "The crucifixion 
of our Lord and Saviour was a matter of as much cer- 
tainty and necessity as His birth. Both were included 
in the great design to save poor fallen man, and the 
former as well as the latter, being known and deter- 
mined spread upon the pages of Divine revelation thou- 
sands of years before its actual fulfillment, as proved by 
the animal sacrifices offered up by spiritual worshippers 
for forty centuries 'before His coming, and by the 
numerous Messianic prophecies that we have cited at 
the close of chapter vi., and by Acts iv. 26-28." — Has- 
selPs History. 

"He learned nothing from human teachers. His 
wisdom was not of this world. He needed no visions 
and revelations like the prophets and apostles. He 
came directly from His great Father in heaven, and 
when He spoke of heaven, He spoke of His familiar 
home. He spoke from the fullness of God dwelling in 
Him. And His words were perfectly verified by His 



36 HISTORY , OF THE CHURCH 

unapproachable deeds."— P. Siehaff, in History of the 
Christian Church. , 

"Before the crucifixion of "Christ He directed His 
apostles to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued 
with power from on high. (Luke xxiv. 49). According- 
ly, they did so, and we're found' together in one place 
in Jerusalem, at the: end of seven times seven days 'after 
His resurrection, and ten days after His ascension; viz., 
the apostles and one hundred and twenty disciples, 
when "suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a 
rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where 
they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven 
tongues, like, as of fire, sitting upon each of them, and 
they were all filled with the. Holy Ghost, and began to 
speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them ut- 
terance. "—Acts ii. 2-4. Instantaneously, light broke 
in upon their understandings. Their old apprephen- 
sion of a natural kingdom being set up in the world by 
their Lord vanished away; its true spiritual character 
was immediately revealed to them, and although ignor- 
ant and unlearned, as touching all human sciences, they 
rose and addressed the vast multitudes that assembled 
on the occasion from various parts of the world, declar- 
ing the wonderful works of God, with great precision 
in many different languages of earth! Such a miracu- 
lous display of Divine power (brought many thousands 
together to behold it, and three thousand of them, be- 
ing quickened . into Divine life by the Spirit of God 
(John xvi. 7-11) believed the preaching of the apostles 
and were added to the number in one day. Thus 
the mother church was fairly set up in Jerusalem, from 
which all others sprang. It was a Baptist church, com- 
posed of baptized believers ; because all who believed, 
and made a profession of their faith, were baptized 
straightway. None others were received into fellow- 
ship, and communion. And here is where the Baptists 
came from. The apostles and primitive saints were, en- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 37 

dowed with a holy boldness, and under the guidance of 
the Holy Spirit went in all directions; preaching the 
gospel of the kingdom. They stood in no fear of man, 
but feared God, and, at the risk of their lives, deter- 
mined to serve Him. They planted churches after the 
pattern of the one at Jerusalem,' and they were inde- 
pendent bodies, distinct from each other, though all of 
the same faith and order. Each was a little "republic"* 
within itself, governed by the rudiments of Christ and 
not of the world. After the apostles, came pastors and 
deacons as officers of the church in the churches. Such 
was the evidence of Divine authority attending the doc- 
trine and labors of the apostles and early ministers of 
the gospel that large numbers were added to the 
churches, and the interest was so great that some con- 
cluded they had turned the world upside down (Acts 
xvii. 6).- In this respect it might be inferred that they 
did greater things than their master. (John xiv. 12). 
The success which attended the first publication of the 
gospel is very beautifully described in the book of Rev- 
elation (vi. 1-2) by a vision which the apostle had of the 
Lamb opening the first seal. "And I saw," says he, 
"and behold a white horse, and he that sat on him had a 
bow; and a crown was given unto him; and he went 
forth . conquering and to conquer." The lustory of the 
apostles and first preachers affords a striking comment 
on these words at the same that it illustrates to us an 
ancient, prediction concerning the Messiah, (Psalms 
ex, 2, etc).; for now we see the standard of Christ .first 
erected as an ensign to the nations ; from, hence went 
forth the rod of his strength, by which he rulejd in the 
midst of . his ..enemies, and" (from that, time, or in that 
day of His power the willing nations, submitted, to Him 

*(Th,is is the term used by Edward Gibbon, in the' famous fif- 
teenth chapter; x>f- "History of the Decline and • Fall - of the' 
Roman .Empire," to .designate eiscih, one ; of the primitive churches. 
No uninspired historian has ever surpassed Gibbon in accuracy of 
statement.) 



38 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

cheerfully, and "numerous as drops of morning dew/' 
Here indeed was the kingdom set up, which was to 
stand forever; as saith the prophet; "In the days of 
these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom 
and it shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall 
not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces 
and consume all other kingdoms and it shall stand for- 
ever." (Daniel ii. 44). And here is where the Baptists 
came from. — H. p. 193. 

Mohammedism. — "From the ninth to the thirteenth 
century the Mohammedans may be said to 'have been the 
enlightened teachers of barbarous Europe; and then 
Mohammedism sank back into its primeval barbarism.' 
Mohammed was born &t Mecca, Arabia, about the year 
570 A. D. ; began preaching his religion in 610; fled 
from Mecca to Medina in 622 ; and died in 632. He had 
effected the conquest of Arabia, and was about to send 
a powerful army into Syria, when he died. He was a 
descendant of Ishmael, and was related to the 
Korushites, the hereditary guardians of the irregular 
cubical building in Mecca called the Kaaba, which, long 
before Mohammed's time was the central shrine of 
Arabian idolatry. This building contained in its north- 
east corner, about five feet above the ground, a black 
stone, an irregular oval, seven inches in diameter, of 
volcanic basalt, sprinkled with colored crystals, (sup- 
posed to have been an areolite, but) claimed to have been 
brought from heaven by the angel Gabriel and given to 
Ishmael ; said at first to have been white, but now black- 
ened by the kisses of sinful mortals. Pilgrimages to 
Mecca, and traveling around the Kaaba and kissing the 
black stone, are among the most solemn duties enjoined 
by Mohammed upon his followers. Though claiming to 
be a Monotheist, he accomodated his religion to the 
previous idolatry of Arabia. He restricted ordinary 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 33 

Mohammedans to four wives;* but allowed Chief- 
tains as many as they wished; and the estimate of 
the number of his own wives varies from thirteen to 
twenty-five. His first wife, Kadijah, was a wealthy 
widow; and his favorite wife, Ayesha, was a beautiful 
girl but nine years old when he married her, he being 
fifty-three years of age. Be was subject to epileptic 
fits, from his childhood, and was, in all probability, a 
partially insane religious fanatic, on monomaniac. He 
says that he never knew how to read or write. He pre- 
tended that his fits were interviews, with the tangel 
Gabriel; and the so-called revelations that he dictated 
were recorded and preserved by others and, after his 
death, gathered into a book called the Koran — theMo- 
hammedan Bible. Mohammed was 1 a licentious, ambi- 
tious and vindictive man ; and his religion was a strange 
compound of truth and error, of Judaism, Rabbinism, 
Christianity, Heathenism and Fatalism. The most of 
the Arabs were heathens ; but many Jews and professed 
Christians had gradually settled in Arabia. Mohammed's 
first wife's cousin, Waraka, originally a Jew, and sub- 
sequently a christian, was the first man on record to 
translate parts of the Old and New Testaments into 
Arabic, and he gave Mohammed much information in 
regard to the scriptures. Mohammed admitted that the 
Old and New Testaments were divinely inspired, but 
had become corrupted; that numerous prophets, includ- 
ing Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, had pre- 
ceded him, and that Jesus was the greatest before him, 
but not the Son of God. He claimed that he himself was 
the last and greatest of the prophets — the paraclete, or 
comforter, predicted by Jesus in John xiv. 16; pretend- 
ing that the genuine word in that passage was, not 
paracletos, but periclutos, the praised or renowned, 

*But he gives the husband absolute, immediate, unquestioned 
power of divorce; so that many Mohammedans marry a new 
wife every year, and some almost every month, and all with the 
sanction of their most corrupt religion. 



J 



40 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

equivalent to Mohammed 1 in Arabic. His leading doc- 
trine was "There is no God but God, and Mohammed 
is His prophet." 

'Seventh century.— -The Christians were called in 
different countries : Bulgarians in Turkey, Pataremes in 
Italy, Carthari in Germany,' Albigenses in France. 
Waldenses,' Northern Italy, and Wyckliffites in England. 

Twelfth Century.— In the first years of the twelfth 
century Peter of Br'uys (Petrobusius) went forth like 
another John the Baptist, full of the spirit and of pow- 
er and lived twenty years as an evangelist in the South 
of France' which he seems to have filled completely 
with his -doctrine, till he was overtaken by the wrath 
of the priesthood he. had challenged, and was burned 
"alive by a mob' of monastics about A. D. 1120. Thus the 
seed was planted of what widened afterwards into the 
fahious and greatly dreaded /heresy' of the Waldenses 
and Albigenses. Peter' De Bruys was a strong Bible 
Baptist. The Catholic Monk, Peter the Venerable, ar- 
raigns him, on five charges, for denying infant baptism, 
respect' for churches, the worship of the cross, transub- 
stantiatiori and prayers, alms and oblations for the dead. 
He baptized all who joined his communion, whether they 
had ever been immersed before or not. ; His followers 
were called Petrobrussians. 

The Albigenses were so-called from Albi; a town in 
Southern; France. Their history is written in fire and 
blood. Their books and' themselves having been destroy- 
ed, we have to glean our views from the unreliable state- 
ment of their Catholic enemies. They are said to have 
received the New Testament as the oracles of God, Rome, 
with all her learning, substituted her own tradition for 
the entire scriptures and antagonized the fundamental 
spiritual tenets of the New Testament,, and thus" com- 
mitted worse doctrinal errors than those she stigma- 
tized and persecuted as heretics.^ • 

The Waldenses, it is /held, by many of the most 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 41 

learned authority, were so-called from . Peter Waldo, a 
merchant from Lyons, who about 1160 expended his 
wealth in giving- alms to the poor, and in translating 
and distributing the scriptures ; also the Vallenses sup- 
posed to have been derived from the calleys of Pied- 
mont in Italy where the lovers and students of 
the word of God abounded. When driven by Catholic 
persecution from France, Peter Waldo fled to Piedmont 
and afterwards to Bohemia, in Germany, where he is 
said to have died. Persecution disseminated the truth 
until it was found in nearly all the countries of Europe. 
The Waldenses were very industrious, honest, modest, 
frugal, chaste and temperate, according even to universal 
testimony of their Catholic enemies. They held the 
scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the 
only standard of faith and practice ; and they conse- 
quently rejected the authority of the "father" arid the 
Catholics' traditions, and the doctrine of purgatory, in- 
dulgences, transubstantiation, monasticism, sacramental- 
ism and celibacy. They held: that there were only two 
christian ordinances, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, 
and that these were: but emblems and signs of inward 
graee. The church of Rome they declared to be the 
whore of Babylon." It is believed by many eminent his- 
torians that the Waldenses were the descendants of the 
Novatians — like them stigmatized Anabaptists, reim- 
mersing all who joined them , from the Catholic Com- 
munion. 

Boniface VIII., who occupied the ppal chair from 
1294 to 1303, was' the most ambitious, arrogant, avaric- 
ious, crafty, unscrupulous:, revengeful and cruel of all 
the popes of Rome ; and he was believed by his contem- 
poraries to be exceedingly immoral. The unexampled 
loftiness of his pretensions shook the papal throne to 
its base, and led to its own most ignominious fall and 
end. Soon after his death his ineffaceable epitaph was 
announced to an unprotesting world: "He came like a 



42 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

fox, he ruled like a lion, he died like a dog." He craftily 
procured the abdication of his predecessor, Celestine V., 
whom he imprisoned, and, it is thought, poisoned. His 
inauguration was the most magnificent that Rome had 
ever seen. The Kings of Naples and Hungary on either 
side held the briddle of his noble, richly caparisoned 
white horse. He had a crown on his head and was fol- 
lowed by the nobility of Rome, and could hardly make his 
way through the masses of the kneeling people. In the 
midst of the inauguration a furious storm burst over the 
city, and extinguished every lamp and torch in the build- 
ing. A riot broke out among the populace, in which forty 
lives were lost. The next day, while the pope dined in 
public, the two kings waited behind his chair. In 1296 
he published his bull Clericis Laicos, declaring himself 
the one exclusive trustee of all the property held through- 
out "Christendom" by the clergy, the monasteries, and 
the universities, and that no authority should, on any 
plea, lew any tax on that property without his distinct 
permission. This bull was received with indignant re- 
sistance in England and France. To aggrandize his 
power and enrich his treasure Boniface, by way of a 
Catholic revival and a combination of the old Pagan, 
Roman, Secular, or Centennial Games with the Mosaic 
Jubilee, decreed that the last year of the thirteenth 
century, the year of 1300, should be a year of Jubilee, 
in which all who should make a pilgrimage, not to Jeru- 
salem, but to Rome, and visit for fifteen days "the 
churches of St. Peter and St. Paul, and confess, should 
receive full absolution of all their sins. It was much 
easier to go to Rome: than to Jerusalem. All Europe, 
we are told, was thrown into a frenzy of religion. The 
roads everywhere were crowded with pilgrims of all 
ages, of both sexes. Thirty thousand -entered and left 
Rome in a single day; two hundred thousand strangers 
were in the city at one time; and it is thought that 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 43 

millions visited it during the year. The offerings were 
incalculable. An eyewitness reports that two priests 
stood with rakes in their hands, sweeping the uncounted 
gold and silver from the altars. The entire treasure was 
at the free and irresponsible disposal of the pope, who 
professed to give in return pardon of all sin and ever- 
lasting life. 

Let it never be forgotten by the friends of truth 
that it was early in the fourteenth century when even 
the Roman Catholic "church" first (in the Counsel of 
Ravenna, in 1311) "legalized by sprinkling, by leav- 
ing it to the choice of the officiating minister — this 
practice having been before permitted even by Roman- 
ists only in the case of sick persons, but having grad- 
ually spread in spite of the opposition of councils and 
hostile decrees." (See the Encyclopedia Britannica, 
ninth edition, vol. iii., p. 351 ; Schaff's History of the 
Apostolic Church, pp. 568-570; and Stanley's Christian 
Institutions, pp. 7, 8, 17, 18). 

In the Netherlands and Germany those who devoted 
their religion to the care of the sick and burial of the 
dead were called" Alexians, from their "patron saint ;" 
Cellites, from their dwelling in cells, and Lollards, from 
their practice of singing dirges at funerals and of hum- 
ming psalms 1 — the low German word lollen or lullen 
signifying to sing softly or slowly. The clergy disliked 
and persecuted the Lollards, and called them heretics; 
and in England it became a designation of the followers 
of Wyckliffe. 

In the year 1378, Pope Gregory XL, died. Preach- 
ing had 'been almost entirely abandoned by the rich, 
worldly, corrupt, and indolent Catholic clergy. Wyck- 
liffe, longing to bring home to the great body of the 
people the words of eternal life, encouraged many who 
believed amd (understood some important scriptural 
truths to go forth as "poor pneachers." Barefoot, and 



44 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

clad in long russet garments of coarsest material, and 
being unmarried, content with food and lodging, they 
passed two and two through the land, denouncing every- 
where the sins of all sorts and conditions of men, but 
with more especial emphasis the sins, the luxury, the 
sloth, the ignorance of the clergy. They declared, with 
simplicity and earnestness, the plain truths of the gospel 
in the vernacular tongue, so that the adversaries of 
Wyckliffe soon complained that half of England was 
infected with Lollardy.'' Wyckliffe taught that preach- 
ing the gospel was the highest office in the world that 
like Paul, he should not seek to obtain the gold, silver 
or apparel of his hearers, but work with his own hands 
and be content with the barest necessaries, and follow 
the pattern of Christ in poverty, self-denial and renunci- 
ation of the world; also that all the ministers of Christ 
were on an absolute footing of equality ; that as in the 
apostolic church, there should be no other offices than 
presbyters (or elders) and deacons; that there should 
be no popes or prelatical "Bishops" over these, and be- 
cause Christ is the only Head of the church. He said 
that Christians need not visit the heathen for the pur- 
pose of converting them and dying -as martyrs; but they 
could do plenty of preaching in England soon to win the 
crown of martyrdom. 'T believe that Wyckliffe was a 
child of God in Babylon. H»e came out of Babylon in 
one sense, but not in another — he denounced her abom- 
inations, but he did not leave her communion, she showed 
her deadly hostility to him by persecuting him all that 
she could during his life and by burning his books at 
Prague in 1410, and burning his bones at Lutterworth 
in 1428. His ashes were cast into the river Swift, which, 
as Fuller and Wordsworth remark, conveyed them 
through the Avon and the Severn into the sea, and thus 
disseminated them as his teachings were disseminated 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 45 

over the world. How vain for man to fight against 
God!" , 

The Protestant. Reformation.— "As we are now up- 
on the eve of the grejait Protestant Reformation in the 
sixteenth century, when the Lutherans, Episcopalians 
and Presbyterians originated as distinct communions by 
seceding from the Catholic body, it is exceedingly in- 
teresting to notice the candid admission of the careful 
Lutheran historian, J. L. Mosheim, in reference to the. 
origin of the Baptists. "The true origin of the Anabap- 
tists or Mennonites (or Baptists)." Says this learned 
and impartial writer, "is hidd'en in depths of antiquity, 
and is,, of consequently, extremely difficult to be ascer- 
tained. They are, not entirely in an error when they 
boast of their descent from the Waldenses, Petrobrus- 
sians and; other ancient sects, who are usually consid- 
ered as witnesses of the truth jn the times of general 
darkness and: superstition." \ 

• Martin Luther, the Elijah of the Protestant Re- 
formation, the ablest man of the sixteenth cenury, the 
greatest of .all Germans, and one of, the greatest char- 
acters of time, the founder, of the German language and 
of modern public schools, the typical, herp of the German 
race, the author of, the. German .hymns, and the transla- 
tor of the best German Bible, was born at Eisleben, in 
the county of Mansfield 1 , in Thuringia, a central district 
,of Germany,. Nov. 10, 1483. His parents, lil^e their 
ancestors, were poor !but free peasants. The day after 
his birth he was baptized in the church of St. Peter and 
St. Paul.. His parents and his teachers exercised the 
most rigid discipline toward him, his mother once whip- 
ping hixn so hard that the blood flowed; his father flog- 
ging him so severely that he ran away for a while; and 
his teacher lashing him fifteen times in a single morning 
because he did not know what had not been taught him. 
In his day, "children were martyrs," he says; "The 



46 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

school masters were tyrants and executioners ; the schools, 
jails 'and hells; and in spite of fear and misery, flog- 
gings and tremblings, scarcely anything was learned." 
Luther was taught "the Psalter, the Lord's Prayer, 
the Apostles Creed, the ten commandments, and Latin 
and German hymns. He was trained so that he 
paled and trembled at the mere mention of the name 
of Christ, whom he had been taught to regard as a 
severe and angry law giver and judge, a second Moses, 
more rigorous than the ancient lawgiver of National 
Israel." His father designed to make a lawyer of him, 
and sent him off to school at Magdeburg a year, when he 
formed one of the poor " breads-choirs," going round 
from house to house and singing hymns and begging his 
bread. At the age of 18 in 1501, his parents sent him 
to the University of Erfurt, where he became a Bachelor 
of Philosophy in 1502, and a Master of Arts in 1505. 
His moral character was at all times unblemished. From 
early life he had had serious religious impressions'. He 
found a whole: Bible and read .it diligently, but it did 
not bring him peace." Deeply burdened with sin, and 
not satisfied with his infant baptism, or the Roman 
Catholic form, he invented continually new forms of 
penance; but all the while head and heart told him that 
outward acts could never banish sin. "I tormented my- 
self to death," he said, "to make my peace with God, 
but I was in darkness and found it not." He became 
a full monk; and his prayers, and vigils, and fasts, 
and castigations were so excessive that he says that all 
his fellow-monks will bear him witness that if ever a 
monk entered heaven through monkery, he also could 
have entered. He revered the "Fathers," and adored 
the pope, and sought zealously and heartily to otey 
their teachings; but no comfort came to his sin-sick 
soul. John Stranpitz, a mystic, and the Vicar-General 
of the Augustinian Order in Germany, seemed to know 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 47 

something about the truth ; he; sympathized with Luther 
in his spiritual conflicts, and said to him 1 , "There is no 
true repentance other than that which flows from the 
love of God and and His righteousness ;" and an old 
monk referred Luther to the Apostles' declaration that 
man is justified through grace by faith. He searched 
the scriptures, and found to his sweet joy that it was 
even so; and, whereas formerly there was no word in 
scripture more bitter to him than repentance, there was 
now no other word that was sweeter. Day and night the 
Apostle's words concerning the forgiveness of sins by 
grace through faith occupied his mind, but he did not 
yet find full rest in Christ. 

In 1507, he was ordained a priest; and 1508 he 
was appointed Professor of Philosophy in Wittenberg 
University. In 1509, he was made a Bachelor of Theol- 
ogy, and 1512 a Doctor of Theology. In 1510 he visit- 
ed Rome on business for the Augustinian Order; and 
there he saw something of the depth of the mystery of 
Roman Catholic iniquity, so that he afterwards said 
he would not take a hundred thousand florins instead 
of having seen Rome. While devoutly, on his knees, 
creeping up the Scala Sancta, or holy stairway, he seemed 
to hear an inward voice crying to him, "The just shall 
live by faith.'' Pondering these words on his home- 
ward journey, at length their full meaning burst upon 
him. "Here I felt at once," says he, "that I was wholly 
born again, and that I had entered through open doors 
into Paradise itself. That passage of Paul was truly 
to me the gate of paradise." Without consulting any 
man, and without considering the tremendous conse- 
quences, he prepared, and at noonday, Oct. 31st, 1517, 
he nailed to the door of tae "Castle Church." in 
Wittenburg, ninety-five theses or propositions denounc- 
ing indulgences. The next day was the "Festival of 
All-Saints" at Wittenburg. Large numbers of people 



48 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

flocked to the city from all quarters, and were intensely 
excited by Luther's theses, and many rejoiced, some 
from political land some religious motives, that some one 
had been found bold enough at last to bell the great 
papal cat. , Instead of taking back home with them 
indulgences for sin, they carried Luther's Theses; the 
newly invented printing presses rapidly reproduced 
them; and in two weeks Germany, and in four weeks 
Christendom was ablaze. The Protestant Reformation 
was begun. .In his Theses, and explanatory sermons 
Luther declared that the inward spiritual facts of man's 
religious experience are of infinitely more value than 
their expression in stereotyped forms recognized by the 
church, and that in such a solemn thing as forgiveness 
of sin man can go to God directly without human med- 
iation. During the Apostolic Age and ever since, God's 
people had thus been going immediately to. Him, humbly 
trusting in the merits of Christ for pardon and salva- 
tion. All the children of God are priests unto Him; 
and Christ is the only and all-sufficient High Priest 
mediating between them and the Father. 

In 1520 Leo. Y., excommunicated Luther; and the 
latter. a> few months afterwards, boldly burned the papal 
bull, . together with the Catholic Canon Law and False 
Decretals, and thus declared open war with the Roman 
Anti-Christ. Summoned hy Charles V., the Catholic 
King of Spain and Emperor of Germany, the most pow- 
erful monarch of his time, to appear before him at the 
Diet of Worms in 1521, Luther, to his friends who 
warned him that he would be burned there as Huss had 
been burned at Constance, replied, "Though they should 
kindle a fire as highas heaven between Wittenburg and 
Worms, yet I will go and appear in the name of the 
Lord; yea, I will confess Christ in the very mouth of 
Behemoth." Before the splendid and imposing assembly 
composed of the emperor and more than two hundred 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH . 49 

princes and nobles, bishops and archibisihops, and five 
thousand people, April 18, 1521, Luther calmly and bold 
ly declared that unless his views were proved erroneous 
by some other authority than by pope or by Counsel, 
even by clear testimonies of Scripture or plain argu- 
ments, he could not and would not retract anything that 
he had . written ; that his conscience would riot permii 
him to recant ; and he concluded his; remarks with these 
undaunted words: "Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise; 
God help me. Amen." In the war of 1527 Rome was 
sacked by a German army in the Emperor's name, arid 
the pope became a prisoner. Luther lived twenty-five 
years longer, and then died peacefully in his bed. While 
Martin Luther had great spiritual light on the doctrine 
of grace, the crime of religious persecution, and other 
matters, he was in great spiritual, darkness on many 
other subjects 1 . Among the latter, I Will name the most 
important as follows: His urging the Princes to war 
on the Peasants; his increasing hatred; during his last 
twenty years of his life, of the Anabaptists and of all 
others who differed from him; his traditionalism; his 
sacramentalism ; his assumption of infallibility, mak- 
ing himself a pope, considering himself the authorita- 
tive judge both of the meaning and the authenticity of 
scripture; his thus rejecting the books of Esther, Jonah, 
James and Revelation; and his criticism of the books of 
Chronicles, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, Hebrews 
and Jude; and his advising Henry VIII. of England to 
marry a second wife without getting a divorce from his 
first, and his authorizing or granting a "dispensation" 
to Philip, Landgrave of Hesse, the Princely champion 
of the Reformation, to do the same thing, which, to the 
great scandal of morals and of the cause he espoused, 
the latter did, thus having two wives at once, and a large 
family by each. Philip Melanchthon, the "Preceptor of 
Germany," the scholarly, humble, and conciliatory co- 



50 , HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

laborer of Luther, the lay theologian and second leader 
of the German Reformation, was, in all respects, the 
exact complement of Luther. He acknowledged that 
infant baptism was a weak point in Luther's system. 
He was the author of the Commonplaces of Theology the 
Augsburg Confession and the Apology of the Augsburg 
Confession. The true fundamental principles of the 
Protestant Reformation have been well described to be 
"the absolute supremacy of the scriptures, the absolute 
Supremacy of Divine of grace, and the general priest- 
hood of all believers.' 

The Swiss Reformation was more rapid and more 
thorough than the German; the cause being that Swit- 
zerland was a republic, iand Germany a Monarchy. In 
the conference at Marburg, Luther and Zwingli agreed 
in fourteen and a half articles: but in the last of the 
fifteenth article, in reference to the nature of Christ's 
presence in the Lord's Supper, they did not agree. 
Luther maintained the doctrine of consubstantiation 
(the next thing to the Roman Catholic dogma of tran- 
S'Ubstantiation), that the true body and blood of Christ 
are present in, with and under the bread and wine; 
while Zwingli maintained that the body and blood of 
Christ are only spiritually or emblematically present 
with the litenal elements that the Greek verb esti (trans- 
lated is — "This is my body") means, signifies, as it does 
in numerous other passages in the New Testament, as 
well a sin the Greek literature. The Seventh (or last) 
Edition of Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon, 
the highest authority on the Greek language, shows that 
Zwingli was correct; 'as do many passages in the Scrip- 
tures. At the close of the Marburg conference, Luther 
would not accept Zwingli's extended hand of fellowship, 
but afterwards consented to give him the right hand of 
peace and charity, and in his "short confession on the 
Lord's Supper" published in 1544, Luther atrociously 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 51 

stigmatized Zwingli as a "heretic, liar and murderer of 
saints." Zwingli as chaplain was slain on the battlefield 
of Cappel. Zwingli was succeeded at Zurich by the mild 
and energetic Henry Bullinger, who exercised great in- 
fluence on the "Anglican Church/' and who composed 
the "Second Helvetic Confession," one of the most 
elaborate and valuable of the Reformed Creeds. Bull- 
inger was succeeded by Oswald Myconius. Oswald 
Myconius was succeeded iby William Farel, and William 
Farel by John Calvin a native of Nayon, in Pieardy, 
seventy miles northeast of Paris: He became the ablest 
theologian and disciplinarian of the Protestant Re- 
formation; and his work, "Institutes of the Christian 
Religion," has been well called "the masterpiece of Pro- 
testantism." Calvin was one of the foremost leaders in 
the history of Christianity. 

Calvin desired to make his church at Geneva the 
model, mother, and seminary of all the reformed (or 
Presbyterian or Calvinistic) churches. The Presby- 
terian polity, or church government, is imaginarily de- 
rived, primarily from the old Jewish government; and 
secondarily from the Greek, Roman and Anglo-Saxon 
Senates; but the authorities declare that the gradation 
of session, Presbytery, Synod and General AsenKbly was 
an invention of Calvin himself (his doctrine of the 
organization of the church and of its relation to the 
State being the only original feature of his system, 
says J. R. Green) ; and the civil government already ex- 
isting in Geneva and other cities (consisting of four 
Councils, rising in power one above the other) seems 
to have suggested the idea to him. In Geneva were 
the Little Council (or Council of 25), the Council of 
60, the Council of 200, and the General Council or Gen- 
eral Assembly of Citizens. As for the two permanent 
Jewish courts called the Lesser and the Greater Sanhe- 
drim, the first of inferior and the second of appellate 



52 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

jurisdiction, they are nowhere mentioned in the Old 
Testament, but are- believed by the most critical scholars 
to have <been derived by the Jews from. the Macedonians 
'(or Greeks) about 300 B. C. the very name Sanhedrin,. 
being not a Hebrew, but a Greek word. Calvin's Con- 
sistory (or Presbytery), "composed of six preachers and 
twelve laymen," of which body he was President, ex- 
ercised a most stringent, vigilant, inquisitorial suspicion, 
in respect to doctrine, morals and. , manners, over the 
entire life of every , inhabitant of, Geneva; not only 
excommunicating persons of every age and sex, but 
handing them over to the civil authorities to be im- 
prisoned, tortured or put to death for heresies,- impro^ 
prieties and immoralities. , 

Christ and His apostles did not persecute; neither 
does the true church of Christ. The Protestant. perse- 
cutions of each other, and of Catholics, and of "Anti- 
baptists," were derived from Rome, were in direet^n-d , 
horrid contradiction of the Protestant principle of free-, 
dom of conscience. "The church of Rome," says .Mr,. 
W. E. H. Leckey, "has caused more wars, Juts shed more 
innocent blood, and inflicted more unmerited , suffering, . 
than any other institution that has ever existed, among, 
mankind." . •••• 

The birthday of the "Lutheran Church," when it 
began its existence as a distinct organization, was 
Aug. 27, 1526, the last day of the first Diet of .Spires, - 
when each German State was permitted by the em- 
peror, Charles V., to act in religious matters accord- 
ing to its own convictions, and when the Lutheran 
territorial churches were thus legitimized. 

"The birthday of the church of England" (or 
Episcopal Church), when it 'began its existence as a 
distinct organization, was Nov. 3, 1534, the date of the 
passage, by the British Parliament, of the "Act of 
Supremacy," extirpating the jurisdiction of the Roman 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 53 

Catholic Pope in England, and making King Henry VIII. 
the "Supreme head of the church of England." 

"The birthday of the church of Scotland" (or Pres- 
byterian' church), When it began its existence as a dis- 
tinct organization, was Aug. 17, 1560, when the Scotch 
Confession of Faith, drawn up by John Knox- and his 
compeers, Was formerly adopted by the Scotch' Parlia- 
ment. All these foodies were born from the Roman 
Catholic church;" and therefore acknowledge that body 
tobe a true church of Christ, and her ordinances to be 
valid. f^r-. ■•■..■ 

Menno Simons was no doubt the most useful Bap- 
tist of the sixteenth century. While a Catholic priest, 
he saw Anabaptists beheaded, and was led to inquire 
into the scriptural authority of infant baptism;' and 
not being enabled by his Catholic superior or by Luther 
or Bucer or Bullinger to find -such authority anywhere 
in the Bible, he was conscientiously led, at great worldly 
sacrifice, to renounce the custom 1 , and to ~ joim the de- 
spised Anabaptists. For twenty-five years he traveled 
in the Netherlands and Germany, with his wife lv and 
children, amid perpetual sufferings and daily perils of 
his life, and proclaimed God's full and free salvation to 
all believing 1 sinners, and he founded numerous 
churches'. "He seemed," says Mosheim,- "to be the com- 
mon Bishop of all the Anabaptists.' He ' earnestly 
Warned his" brethren against the Munster abomina- 
tions; and he insisted upon strict discipline in all his 
churches, which were independent- of each other in 
church government, and united only by a bond of lovo. 
Some practiced feet- washing, and some did not. The 
members of his churches Were called Mennonites, and 
were plain, honest, industrious people, mostly farmers," 

The seven articles of the Swiss Confession teach the 
baptism of believers; separation from the impure 
churches and the world'; the exclusion of unworthy 



54 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

members; support of needy pastors by the voluntary 
offerings of the members; rendering obedience to civil 
officers, except when their commands are opposed to re- 
ligious convictions; and the disuse of oaths." 

"James Arminius, of Holland (1560-1609), an able, 
learned, and amiable man, was a disciple of Theodore 
Baza, and at first a strict Calvinist but, through the 
combined influences of the rationalism of Peter Ramus, 
the synergism of Philip Melanchthon, the Semi-Pel- 
angianism of Robert Bellarmine, and the liberalism of 
Theodore Koornhert, he came to believe and advocate 
that the election of the sinner to eternal life is not abso- 
lute, but is conditioned on the sinner's foreseen faith 
and perseverance. Still he inconsistently maintained 
the total depravity of human nature since the fall; 
that man, in his natural condition, is dead in sins; that 
his mind is darkened, his affections depraved, and his 
will refractory; that the will of man, with respect to 
true good, is not only wounded, bruised, inferior crook- 
ed and attenuated, but that it is likewise captivated, 
destroyed and lost, and has no powers whatever, ex- 
cept such as are excited by grace; that the grace of 
Christ is simply and absolutely necessary for illu- 
mination of the mind, the ordering of the affections, and 
the inclination of the will to that which is good ; that it 
infuses good thoughts into the mind, inspires good de- 
sires into the affections, and the inclination of the will 
to that which is good ; that it infuses good thoughts into 
the mind, the ordering of the affections, and the inclina- 
tion of the will to that which is good, and leads the 
will to execute good thoughts and good desires ; that it 
goes before, accompanies and follows; that it excites, 
assists, works in us to will, and works with us that 
we may not will in vain; that it averts temptations, 
stands 'by and aids us in temptations, supports us against 
the flesh, the world and Satan ; and that, in the conflict, 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 55 

it grants to us to enjoy the victory; that it begins, pro- 
motes, perfects and consummates salvation. — Watson's 
Theological Institutes. 

The Arminians had their creed drawn up in Five 
Articles, by one of their preachers, James Mytenbogaert, 
and presented, as a "remonstrance," to the States of 
Holland and West Friesland in 1610. This original 
Arminian Creed, which sets forth a carefully restricted 
Semi-Pelagianism, is as follows: 

Art. L "That God, by an eternal, unchangeable 
purpose in Jesus Christ His Son, before the foundation 
of the world, hath determined, out of the fallen, sinful 
race of men, to save in Christ, for Christ's sake, and 
through Christ, those who, through the grace of the 
Holy Ghost, shall believe on His Son Jesus, and shall 
persevere in this faith and obedience of faith, through 
this grace, even to the end; and on the other hand, to 
leave the incorrigible and unbelieving in sin and under 
wrath, and to condemn them as alienate from Christ, 
according to the word of the gospel in John iii. 36, and 
according to other passages of scripture .also. 

Art. II. "That agreeably thereto, Jesus Christ, the 
Saviour of the world, died for all men, and every man, 
so that He has obtained for them all, by His death ov 
the cross, redemption and the forgiveness of sins ; yet 
that no one actually enjoys this forgiveness of sins ex- 
cept the believer, according to the word of the gospel 
of John iii. 16, and in the First Epistle of John ii. 2. 

"Art. III. That man has not saving grace of him- 
self, nor the energy of his free-will, inasmuch as he, in 
the state of apostasy and sin, can of and by himself 
neither think, will nor do anything that is truly good 
(such as saving faith eminently is) ; but that it is 
needful that he be born again of God in Christ, through 
His Holy Spirit, and renewed in understanding, incli- 
nation or will, and all his powers, in order that he may 



56 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

rightly understand, think, will and effect what is truly 
good, according to the word of Christ in John xv. 5. 

"Art. IV. That this grace of God is the beginning, 
continuance and accomplishment of all good, even to 
this extent, that the regenerate man himself, without 
prevenient or assisting, awakening, following and co- 
operative grace, can neither think, will nor do good, 
nor withstand any temptations to evil ; so that all good 
deeds or movements, that can be conceived, must be 
ascribed to the gnace of God in Christ. But as respects 
the mode of the operation of this grace, it is not 
irresistable, inasmuch as it is written concerning many 
that they have resisted the Holy Ghost, Acts vii., and 
elsewhere in many places." 

"Art. V. That those who are incorporated into 
Christ by a true faith, and have thereby become par- 
takers of His life-giving Spirit, have thereby full power 
to strive against Satan, sin, the world, and their own 
flesh, ,-and to win the victory; it being well understood 
that it is ever through, the assisting grace of the Holy 
Ghost; and that Jesius Christ assists them through this 
spirit through all temptations, extends to them His 
hand, and if only they are ready for the conflict, and 
desire His help, and are not inactive, keeps, them from 
falling so that they, . by no power or craft of Satan, 
can be misled • nor plucked out Christ's hands, according 
to the word of Christ in John x. 28. But whether they. 
are, capable, .through negligence, of forsaking again the 
first beginning; of their life in Christ, of again return- 
ing to. this present evil world,, of turning away from 
the holy .doctrine which was delivered them, of losing a 
good conscience, , of becoming, .devoid of grace, ( that must 
be more ^particularly .determined out. of the. Holy Scrip- 
ture, before we purpelves can teach it w^th the full 
pursu.asion ;j of our. minds, .. . . ;; , .,, 

"These articles thus set forth and taught, the 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 57 

Remonstrants deem agreeable to the word of God, tend- 
ing to edification, and, 'as* regards this argument, suf- 
ficient for salvation, so" that' it is r not necessary or 
edifying to rise higher or 'descend deeper;.''' 

' "The National Synod of Dort (in South Holland, 
convened by the States-General for the settlement of 
the Arminians controversy, and containing, among its 
eighty-four members, twenty-eight delegates from Ger- 
many, the Palatinate, Switzerland and England, set 
from Nov. 13, 1618, to 'May 9, 1619. Air the' Dutch 
members were orthodox. Three Armihiah delegates 
elected from Utrecht had to yield their seats' to- their 
orthodox competitors. Francis Gomarus was said to be 
the only Supralapsarian delegate. Prof. ' Schaff says 
that, in learning and piety, the Synod has ; never been 
surpassed since the days of the apostles.' The Synod 
emphatically' condemned all the five points of Arminian- 
ism, and affirmed, to the contrary: 1st Unconditional 
Election; 2nd Particular Redemption ; 3rd. Total De- 
pravity; 4th. Effectual calling; 5th. Final Preservance. 
They declared that election, instead of being founded 
upon foreseen ' faith and holiness, is itself the very 
foundation of faith, holiness and eternal life; that, while 
the atonement of Christ is of infinite worth arid value, 
abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole 
world, its slaving efficacy extends only to the elect, so 
as to bring them infallibly to salvation; that all men are 
born in the likeness of their fallen parents, in a state of 
spiritual death; that faith and repentance are the 
efficacious gifts of works of the Spirit of God in the 
hearts of all His chosen people, who are thus wholly of 
God rescued from the poWier of darkness and translated 
into the kingdom of His dear Son, that they may show 
forth His praises, and glory not in themselves, 1 but in 
the Lord ; and that notwithstanding all the remains of 
indwelling sin, and all the ' temptations of the flesh, God 



58 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

has conferred grace upon His elect, is faithful, and will 
never! leave or forsake them, but will recover them 
in true repentance and humility, from all their falls, 
and mercifully confirm and powerfully preserve them in 
a gracious state even to the end." 

In 1622, Gregory XV., the first pope who had been 
a pupil of the Jesuits, established the first great Mis- 
sionary Board in the world, the prototype of all other 
Missionary Boards, whether Catholic, or Protestant, the 
Sacra Congregation de Propaganda Fide (Sacred con- 
gregation for Propagating the Faith), consisting of 
Cardinals, and having in charge the entire Roman 
Catholic Misionary System. This body is still in exis- 
ence. The object of this organization was and is the 
conversion of heathens and Protestants to Roman Cath- 
olicism and the extirpation of heretics. For this latter 
purpose the civil power has been employed in all 
Protestant countries wherever Roman Catholicism gains 
the supremacy. To promote the same purpose of 
Catholicism athC Ht-p shrd shdlu cmfw vbg xzfifl fiflffr 
Catholicizing the world, the next pope, Urban VIII., 
established, in 1627, the Seminarium or Collegium de 
Propaganda Fide (Seminary or College for Propagating 
the Faith), to which young men from all nations are 
brought at an early age, and gratuitously instructed in 
languages and sciences, and fitted out for the mission- 
ary work." 

THE INDEPENDENTS. 

"Then Independents, originated in England about 
the yean 1581 under the leadership of Robert Browne; 
and, being deserted by Browne, who in 1590 conformed 
to the "Church of England," chose John Robinson, a 
pious Calvinist, as their pastor in 1603, and 1608, to 
secure liberty of conscience and worship, fled to Am- 
sterdam, and in 1609 to Leyden, in Holland; and one 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 59 

hundred and one of them, for the same purpose, emi- 
grated, with their Ruling Elder, William Brewster in 
the Mayflower, 1620, to Plymouth, Miass. These emi- 
grants, forty-one men, with their families, are known 
as the "Pilgrim Fathers." This is the beginning of the 
Congregational church. They advocated *the self-gov- 
ernment of each local church, and the admission of 
none but true believers to the Lord's Supper. They 
wished to purify the discipline and worship of the 
church of England; yet like their brethren in England 
they set up a sort of theocratic state, and strove to se- 
cure uniformity in worship by rigorous laws for the 
civil punishment of heresy and schism. They unscrip- 
turally retained the pedobaptism of the "Church of 
England;" and worked their peculiar vengeance on 
Baptists and Quakers. 

The Friends or Quakers originated in 1647. They 
were in some respects, the successor of the Mystics of 
the Middle ages, and the predecessors of the Methodists 
of the eighteenth century. George Fox was their 
founder ; Robert Barclay thein apologist and theologian ; 
and William Penn their Statesman and politician. They 
claimed not to be founders of a new sect, but revivers 
of primitive Christianity. They taught the spirituality 
of true religion; the indispensable need of the "inner 
light" or the Spirit of Christ for the understanding of 
the Scriptures!; the privilege of direct access to God 
without the intervention of human priest or ceremony; 
entire freedom of conscience and worship for all men; 
that the ministry need no human education or theolog- 
ical training, but only the preparation afforded by the 
Holy Spirit, and that they ought to preach, without hire 
or bargaining, though they may receive voluntary con- 
tributions from jthose to whom they administer in 
spiritual things. They steadfastly opposed tithes, oaths, 



60 HISTQRY OF TRE CHURCH 

infant baptism,, war, slavery., r intemperancs, vain fash- 
ions,, corrupting amusements .and flattering titles ; and 
these eccentricities , brought upon them the terrible 
vengeance of. the. " State church." It is said Quakers 
sufXered fine, ^imprisonment, torture ..and .mutilation in 
the British Isles, some were banished, some perished in 
prisons, . some almost literally rotting in pestilential 
cells, and some .hanged.. - But with their wonderful light, 
they had much spiritual .darkness. . They taught that 
ordinances of baptism and the. Lord's Supper were, not 
designed by Christ and His apostles to be .observed 
outivardly .by the church, but only inwardly; that Christ 
died for every individual of the human race and that 
in the inner light of grace of His Spirit is given in 
sufficient measure to every human being in all ages 
and countries of the world to save all if the obey it,, and 
condemn. them if they reject it. (The Quakers thus 
the most Arminian of Arminians, and surpassing all 
other denominations in their latitudinarian view of the 
Spirit's influence) ; that men are justified in their works 
-and that it is possible in the present world, to reach a 
state of sinless, perfection. Their four grades of meet- 
ings for discipline— the preparation, the monthly, the 
quarterly and the yearly, the latter exercising exclusive 
legislative and finally appellate power over a large col- 
lection of societies — somewhat resemble the polity of 
Presbyter ianism; the system has too much worldly wis- 
dom, and too little New Testament authority. Some of 
their writers, even in the seventeenth century, approach- 
ed very near to Socinianism, denying the Trinity of 
Christ, the vicarious nature of the atonement, and im- 
puted righteousness. 

The moat of the seventeenth century was a time of 
outward persecution, but of spiritual prosperity, for 
the Baptists of Europe and America. .Hundreds of poor 
people styled Anabaptists or Mennonites were, on ac- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 61 

count of their religion, whipped, branded, robbed, im- 
prisoned and banished. The last man burned alive in 
England for his religion was Edward Wlghtnian, a 
Baptist, April 11, 1612; just as the first man, William 
S-autre, burned in 1400, in England, for his religion is 
said to have been a Baptist in sentiment. The only 
other person burned in England for his religion 
during this century was Bartholomew Legate, an 
Arian, March 18, 1612. The horror of the' people 
at these renewed executions for heresy caused 
James I. and his successors to adopt slower and less 
public modes of death for "heretics" — such as long and 
barbarous imprisonment. Baptist ministers especially 
suffered from long imprisonment. "Francis Bampfield 
was eight years in Dorchester jail, and spent the last 
year of his life in Newgate, where he died. John Miller 
v/ais confined ten years in the same jail. Henry Forty 
was twelve years in prison at Exeter. John Bunyan was 
in Bedford jail twelve years. Joseph Wright lay in 
Midstone jail twenty years. George Fownes died in 
Gloucester jail. Thomas Delaune, and many other serv- 
ants of God, died in Newgate.'.' Samuel Howe, a cobbler 
and a Baptist preacher, and author, of a pamphlet called 
"The Sufficiency- of the Spirit's Teaching, without 
Human Learning,'' died in prison in 1640, and was bur- 
ied in the highway, because interment in consecrated 
ground so-called, was refused him. 

It was particularly during the infamous reigns of 
Charles II. and James II. (1660-1668 that the Baptists 
were persecuted in England. In November John James, 
an excellent, inoffensive and benevolent > Seventh . Day, 
Baptist minister in London, was on suborned and per- 
jured testimony as to treasonable words used by him, 
hanged, drawn and quartered, his quarters being : placed 
over the city gates, and his head set on a pole opposite 
the meeting' house where he had preached the gospel 



62 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

The "Act of Uniformity" in 1662 drove two thousand 
conscientious ministers from the establishment, and 
subjected many Baptists to the pillory and imprison- 
ment. The first "Conventicle Act" in 1664 forbade as 
many as five persons, over sixteen years of age, be- 
sides the household, from meeting anywhere for relig- 
ious worship in any other manner than allowed by the 
liturgy or practice of the "Church of England ;" the pen- 
alty for the first offense was three months imprison- 
ment, or a fine of five pounds; for the second 
offense six months' imprisonment, or a fine of ten 
pounds ; and for the third offense banishment to Ameri- 
ca, (The West Indies) for seven years (and death, 
if they returned without permission), or a fine of one 
hundred pounds. The Five Mile Act in 1665 forbade 
Non-conformist ministers from going within five miles 
of any city or town that sent members to Parliament, 
or within five miles of any place where there was stat- 
ed service in the Established "Church;" also declared 
them incapable of teaching any public or private schools. 
The penalty for each offense was forty pounds. This 
act inflicted great suffering upon the true ministers of 
the word and upon their families; and it caused many 
Baptist churches to be formed in villages, nooks and 
corners of the land, beyond the reach of the Five Mile 
Act. The second "Conventicle Act" in 1670 was still 
more searching and extensive than the first. "All per- 
sons attending conventicles (or the religious meetings 
of Nonconformists) were to be fined five shillings for 
the first offense ; ten shillings for the second ; the preach- 
ers were to be fined twenty pounds for the first offense ; 
forty pounds for the second; the owners of the houses, 
barns, buildings or yards in which the meetings were 
held were to be fined twenty pounds each time; the 
fines were to be levied by distress and sale of the offend- 
er's goods and chattels ; the money was to be divided into 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 63 

three parts, one third for the king, one third for the 
poor, and one third for the informer and his assistants; 
in case of the poverty, of the ministers, their fines were 
to be levied on the goods and .chattels of any others pres- 
ent. It has been computed that, from 1660 to 1689, in 
England, seventy thousand persons suffered on account of 
religion, eight thousand persons perished, and two mil- 
lion pounds sterling (ten million dollars) were paid in 
fines. "The Baptists," says Sir James Mcintosh, "suf- 
fered more than any other® under Charles II., because 
they had publicly professed the principles of religious 
liberty." — Bonds and imprisonment and scourging at- 
tended the Baptists in Massachusetts. A few came over 
with the first emigrants, but not making their settle- 
ments public, were not molested for several yeiars. In 
1635 Roger Williams 1 was 'banished, and, leaving Mass- 
achusetts founded Rhode Island. A Baptist Church 
was formed in Boston in 1665, and for several years 
some of the members spent most of their time in courts 
and prisons. In 1643 the "Church of England" was 
established by law in Virginia. In 1635 Sir William 
Berkley, royal governor of Virginia, strove by Whip- 
pings and brandings', to make the inhabitants of that 
colony conform to the Established "Church," and thus 
drove out the Baptists and Quakers, who found a 
refuge in the Albemarle county of North Carolina, a 
colony "which was settled," says Bancroft, "by the freest 
of free, by men to whom the restraints of other colo- 
nies were too severe." 

Having described, in the same connection, the re- 
ligious persecutions by Protestants during the seven- 
teenth century, I will now briefly speak of some indi- 
vidual Baptist Churches, Baptist principles and prac- 
tices, and a few Baptist ministers of this country. 

The first English Baptist church was formed, in 
1608, of refugees in Amsterdam under the pastoral care 



64 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

of John Smyth, who had been an Episcopalian,, and 
afterwards a Brownist Clergyman, and who has been 
called a Se-Baptist (because he was said to have baptized 
himself ; but it is more probable that one of the brethren 
baptized him, and he then baptized the others. This 
church, as shown by their confession of Faith, published 
1611, held Arminian views — the members being what 
are called in England General Baptists, because they 
believe in a general atonement. (For this reason some 
Baptists now think Roger Williams was a Primitive 
Baptist.) In 1612 Mr. Smyth having died, Mr. Thomas 
Helwys was chosen to succeed him as pastor, and he 
land most of the church returned to* England, and locat- 
ed their place of worship in London. In 1633, Sept. 12, 
the first Particular or Calvinist or Predestinarian Eng- 
lish Baptist church was founded in London, under the 
pastoral care of John Spilsbury, from those members 
of an independent church who rejected infant baptism; 
it was called Broadstreet Church, and was in the parish 
of Wapping, London. In 1644 they numbered seven 
churches in London, and forty-seven in the country; 
and the same year, three years before the Westminster 
Confession, in answer to the calumnies of Daniel Feat- 
ley, an Episcopalian clergyman, the seven London 
churches published in fifty-two Articles, la Confession 
of Faith showing that, in all important doctrinal prin- 
ciples, the Baptists agreed with the "orthodox Reformed 
Churches." The concluding paragraph of this con- 
fession is most admirable. It is as follows: "Thus- 
we desire to give unto Christ that wOiich is His, and un- 
to all lawful authority that which is their due; and to 
owe nothing to any man but love; to live quietly and 
peaceably as it becometh saints, endeavoring in all 
things to keep a good conscience, and to do unto every 
man (of what judgement soever) as we would they 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 65 

should do unto us: that, las our practice is so it may 
prove us to be a conscionable, quiet and harmless peo- 
ple (no ways dangerous or troublesome to human so- 
ciety) , and to labor and work with our hands that we 
may not be. chargeable to any, but to give to him that' 
needeth, both friends and enemies, accounting it more 
excellent to give than to receive. Also we confess that 
we know but in part, and that we are ignorant of many 
things which we desire and seek to know; and if any 
shall do us that friendly part to show us from the word 
of God that we ®ee not, we shall have cause to be thank- 
ful to God and them, But if any man shall impose upon 
us anything that we see not to be commanded by our 
Lord Jesus Christ, we should in His strength rather 
embrace all reproaches and tortures of men, to be 
stripped of all outward comforts arid, if it were possible, 
to die a thousand deaths, rather than to do anything 
against the light of our own consciences. And if any 
shall call what we have said heresy, then we with the 
Apostle acknowledge that 'after the way which they 
call heresy, worship we the God of our Fathers,' dis- 
claiming all heresies (rightly so-called), because they 
are against Christ, and to be steadfast and immovable, 
always abounding in obedience to Christ, as knowing 
our labor shall not be in vain in the Lord." Devonshire 
Square Church, one of the seven churches that published 
this confession, is still in existence. In 1656 was pub- 
lished, in forty-six Articles the Confession of Somer- 
set, signed by the messengers of sixteen churches in 
Somerset and the adjoining counties. What is called 
the Confession of 1688, in thirty-two chapters, by far 
the most important and authoritative of all uninspired 
Baptist Confessions, arid still generally received by all 
Baptists who hold the doctrine of personal election and 
the certainty of the final perseverance of the saints, 



66 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

first appeared in 1677 at London, and was, in 1688 and 
1689, affirmed and recommended by the ministers and 
messengers of above a hundred churches who were in 
session in London July 4-11, 1689. It was adopted by 
the Philadelphia Confession the latter retaining all the 
old London Confession and adding two other Articles 
(Chapter xxiii., of singing of Psalms, and chapter xxxL, 
Of Laying on of Hands). The Charleston (South 
Carolina) Association was organized in 1751 on the 
same confession, adding from the Philadelphia, con- 
fession, the chapter on the Singing of Psalms, 
but not adding the chapter on the Laying on of Hands. 
The practice of laying the hands of the presbytery on 
all believers after baptism w|as first introduced among 
the Baptist Churches in England about the year 1645, 
and became common, though not universal, among the 
Baptists in England and America during the seven- 
teenth century, and its observance or nonobservance 
sometimes caused bitter controversies, and even rent 
churches; but the practice is now almost entirely dis- 
continued, except in case of ordination to the deacon- 
ship and eldership. As the English Congregationalists 
had done in the Savoy Declaration in 1658, so the Bap- 
tists, in the London Confession, both in sentiment and 
in language, with very few verbal alterations, except in 
the doctrine of the church and the ordinances, for the 
purpose, as they said of showing their agreement with 
the Presbyterians and Congregationalists "in all the 
fundamental articles of the Christian religion." And 
they say in their appendix: "If any of the servants of 
Our Lord Jesus Christ shall, in the spirit of meekness- 
attempt to convince us of any mistake, either in judge- 
ment or practice, we shall diligently ponder his argu- 
ments, and account him our chiefest friend that shall be 
an instrument to convert us from any error that is in 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 67 

our ways ; for we can not wittingly do anything against 
the truth, but /all things for the truth'." 

From the most recent and thorough investigation, 
it is believed that Dr. John Clark (a physician) and 
eleven others formed, at Newport, Rhode Island, in 
1638, the first Baptist church in America; Clark re- 
signing the proposed care of the church in 1657, in 
order to return to England, was succeeded by Obadiah 
Holmes. The pastors and members of this oldest Bap- 
tist Church in America remained strongly Calvinistic 
or Predestinarian until about the year 1820. In 1636 
the town, and in 1639 the Baptist Church, of Providence, 
Rhode Island, were founded by Roger Williams. He 
was a Welshman by birth an Episcopalian by choice, 
and he was a graduate of the University of Cambridge. 
He came to Massachusetts in 1631, and was for a few 
years assistant minister of the Congregational church 
at Salem; but, denying the right of the magistrate to 
punish offenses of a purely religious character, he was 
banished, and leaving his wife and children at Salem, he 
fled, in the depth of a severe winter, to the Narragan- 
sett Indians, and, in gratitude to God for his preserva- 
tion during fourteen weeks of bitter wilderness wander- 
ing, he called the town that he founded Providence, and 
he made it a shelter for persons distressed for the sake 
of conscience. He established the colony of Rhode 
Island upon principles of entire religious liberty — princi- 
ples which have since been adopted in all the States 
of the American Union, but upon which no State before 
Rhode Island had ever been founded. In March 1639 
Roger Williams, Ezekiel Hollimian and ten others con- 
stituted the Baptist church at Providence. Holliman 
baptized Williams and then Wiliams immersed Holliman 
and the others. Four months afterward, doubting the 
validity of this procedure, Williams withdrew from 
the church, and seems never again to have united with 



68 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

any religious organization, but remained a seeker, seek- 
ing but never finding a church of pure Apostolic faith 
and practice. 

• The Baptists of the seventeenth century acknowl- 
edged no master but Christ, no infallible authority but 
the Scriptures. They advocated perfect religious liberty 
for all men. They required true piety as the indespensi- 
ble requisite for church membership; and in acordance 
with First Cor. yi. 17, they excluded from their fellow- 
ship those guilty of immoral, unscriptural, or disorder- 
ly conduct. They debarred, or excluded from fellow- 
ship, persons who sold spiritious liquors; those who 
drank; those who borrowed money and did not repay it; 
those who married irreligious and disorderly compan- 
ions; those who swore; and those guilty of unchastity; 
those who did not treat their companions with proper 
love and kindness. Upon thoroughly satisfactory prooi 
of heartfelt repentance, the churches were rejoiced to 
restore excluded members again to fellowship. They 
silenced preachers for improper conduct which was not 
thought to be so gross as to demand their exclusion; 
and, upon proper repentance, restored to them the priv- 
ilege of exercising their gifts in public. Some of the 
churches observed the Lord's Supper weekly, but the 
most of them monthly. Singing was not commonly 
practiced; and, when engaged in, it was only at the 
close of the meeting, so that all opposed to it could free- 
ly go out, and the church would not be offended. 

John Bunyan (1628-1688) was the most gifted 
preacher of the seventeenth century, and the most won- 
derfully gifted experimental and spiritual writer since 
the days of the Apostles. His "Grace Abounding to the 
Chief of Sinners," his "Pilgrim's Progress," arid his 
"Holy War," are the records of his own deep and valid 
spiritual experience. Next to the Bible, his Pilgrim's 
Progress has been translated into more editions (about 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 69 

four hundred), than any other book in the world. It 
is generally the first book after the Bible translated irtfo 
the heathen languages. The common people heard and 
read Bunyan gladly. Until the present century, few 
except the poor and lowly and uneducated admired 
Bunyan's writings; but it is now the fashion of the 
rich and Lordly and educated to commend them for their 
pure and strong English, and their simple natural, and 
allegorical power. Only the spiritual can admire their 
spirituality. Bunyan was himself, like the Apostles of 
Christ during his ministry, a poor, hard working, un- 
educated man. He was a tinker like his father. At 
seventeen years of age he served a year in the Parlia- 
mentary army; and then, returning home, married a 
poor orphan girl both being so poor that they had not 
a dish or, a spoon between them. All the portion she 1 
brought him was two religious books which her father 
had left her, "The Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven," 
and "The Practice of Piety." He soon experienced some 
concern on the subject of religion, and he began a con- 
stant attendance at prayers and sermons, a "poor, paint- 
ed hypocrite," he says, worshipping the Established 
Church and all its appurtenances. He gradually aban- 
doned his. favorite amusements, playing at tip-cat on the 
"Sabbath," swearing, ringing the church bells, and 
dancing, and he made some outward reformation both 
in his morals and life, and set the ten commandments 
before him for his way to heaven, and thought he pleased 
God as well as any man in England. He was now talked 
of by his neighbors as an eminently pious man, and 
he was proud of his "goodness." But, while working 
at his calling, he heard three or four poor women one 
day talking of a new birth, and the work of God in 
their hearts, and how they were convinced of their 
miserable natural state, and how God had visited their 



70 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

souls with His love in the Lord Jesus, and with what 
w^ords and promises they had been refreshed, comforted 
and supported against the temptations of the devil, and 
they condemned their own righteousness for its filthi- 
ness and insufficiency. This conversation made a deep 
impression upon Bunyan, and he sought the company 
of the same truly godly persons again and again, and 
he was convicted by the Holy Spirit of his own dread- 
ful sinfulness, and made to long and cry to God for de- 
liverance, he felt that he would have given ten thou- 
sand worlds, if he had them, for true conversion. Bu f 
he seemed to grow worse; terrible temptations and trials 
assailed him for more than a year; he feared that he 
had committed the unpardonable sin, and the day of 
grace was forever gone with him, and he was about to 
sink in despair, when Christ seemed to speak mercy 
and pardon to his soul. Reading Martin Luther's com- 
mentary on the Galatians, he saw his own spiritual con- 
flicts fully described, and he esteemed that book above 
others except the Bible as fit for a wounded conscience. 
His soul seemed to be filled with the love of Christ ; but, 
after this he experienced many sore temptations, which, 
however, he was enabled to overcome by the all-suffi- 
cient grace of Christ. The Holy Spirit taught him that 
his righteousness did not consist of his own perfections 
or his own frames and feelings, but that Jesus Christ 
Himself, the same yesterday, today and forever, was his 
righteousness. Now his chains fell off indeed, and he 
gloried and rejoiced in Christ Jesus as his wisdom, 
righteousness, sanetification and redemption; and he 
was led by the Lord into the mysteries of the union witli 
the Son of God, and enabled to feel that he was joined 
to Ilim, and was flesh of His flesh, and bone of His 
bones. (Eph. v. 30). He united with the Baptists 
(at Bedford, forty miles northwest of London), "the 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 71 

most thorough-going and consistent of all Protestant 
sects," says, Mr. J. A. Fronde in this connection. He 
passed through other severe spiritual straits and tempta- 
tions, and was led into the heights and depths of Di- 
vine grace, love and mercy ; and he was enabled es- 
pecially to realize the sweetness of Heb. xii. 22-24 — "Ye 
are come unto Mount Sion," etc. Two years after his 
baptism, some of the wisest and best of his brethren 
thought that they saw in 'him a special gift of spiritual 
understanding and utterance, and they earnestly re- 
quested him to speak a word of exhortation to them. at 
one of their meetings. Though much abashed, he after 
awhile consented to try to do so, yet, he says, with 
much weakness and infirmity. The church was much 
affected and comforted, and encouraged him to perse- 
vere, and soon ordained him to the ministry. After 
preaching very acceptably to the orethren five years, and 
working at his trade for the support of himself and 
family, he was arrested and thrown into Bedford jail 
twelve years for "teaching to worship God contrary to 
the law." While in jail he was graciously and providen- 
tially directed and assisted to compose his three most 
influential writings, Pilgrim's Progress, Holy War, 
and Grace Abounding. Thus the wisdom of God over- 
ruled the malice of Satan, and enabled His highly gift- 
ed servant to preach to millions who would perhaps 
otherwise have never heard of his name. His only books, 
while in prison were the Bible and concordance, and 
Foxe's Book of Martyrs. The Bible was his constant 
companion, and he is said to have almost known it by 
heart. "It is easy," says, Mr. Froude, "to conceive a 
university-bred Bunyan, an intellectual meteor, flaring 
uselessly across the sky and disappearing in smoke and 
nothingness." He lived sixteen years after his release 
from prison, and remained all the while pastor of the 



72 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

church in Bedford, though he visited other churches 
much, animating the zeal of his brethren, collecting and 
distributing alms for the poor, settling difficulties." He 
rode to London, on a preaching tour, once a year, and 
it is said that three thousand persons would meet be- 
fore breakfast on a dark winter morning to hear him. 
The learned Independent minister, John Owen, said to 
Charles II. that he would gladly relinquish all his learn- 
ing for the tinker's preaching abilities. Bunyan said, 
"A little grace, a little love, a little of the true fear of 
God, is better than all the gifts; the Scripture does 
not say, the Lord gives gifts and glory, but the Lord 
gives grace and glory; true grace is a certain forerun- 
ner of glory." Bunyan returning on a successful jour- 
ney from Bedford to Reading was wetted in- a rain, 
attacked with chill and fever, died in ten days, the 
latter part of August, 1688. He believed in open com- 
munion. His Bedford church went backward to infant 
sprinkling and Congregationalism. The New Testa- 
ment shows this practice of open communion to be 
erroneous; and history proves it to be a failure. 

Swendenborgianism or the "New Jerusalem church. 
— The eighteenth was also the century of the rise of 
Swendenborgianism, or the so-called, "New Jerusalem 
Church," established by Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swede 
(1688-1772), who professed to have been divinely in- 
spired from 1743, and to have lived the remainder of 
his life in intercourse with the world of spirits, and 
to have seen the last General Judgement of the world in 
1757, the second coming of Christ and the setting up 
of the New Dispensation, the New Jerusalem Church, 
then taking place. He professed to preach a new gospel, 
which was not a gospel; he rejoiced or rationalized 
away (he called it spiritualizing) nearly all the funda- 
mental principles of Christianity, as commonly under- 
stood, denying the tripersonality of God arid the per- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 73 

somality of the devil, the vicar iousness or reality of the 
atonement, the resurrection of the body, the future 
general judgement, and the destruction of the world; 
he claimed to understand the internal sense of the 
Scriptures better than the Apostles did ; he taught, like 
Moh'ammed, that heaven is material, and that marriage 
will be continued there, not withstanding the declara- 
tion of Christ to the contrary (Matthew xxii. 30). He 
also taught that all religions, even those of the heathens, 
contain the essence of saving truth; that man's will is 
free ; that God loves all alike, and gives himself equally 
to all, but all do not receive him; and the system of 
salvation inculcated by Swedenborg went beyond the 
last verge of Arminianism, and plunged into the depths 
of Pelagian darkness. It is mournful that this theoso- 
phic mysticism is gaining much ground, in various 
quarters, in the nineteenth century. 

During the eighteenth century also arose the 
Shakers, a kind of offshoot from the Quakers, originat- 
ing in England, but emigrating and now confined to 
the Northern United States. These people worship Ann 
Lee (1736-1784), a very poor, uneducated Englishwo- 
man, who married when very young, land lost four 
children in their infancy, and who became opposed to 
marriage, and left her husband, the latter then marry- 
ing another woman. Ann professed to be the manifesta- 
tion or the second appearing of Christ in his glory; and 
she taught her followers celibacy (called by Paul a doc- 
trine of devils. — 1st Tim. iv. 1-3), and community of 
goods. The Shakers are mostly farmers, living together 
and having all things in common, and worshipping their 
"Eternal Mother" with measured dance and song. They 
are spiritualists, and reject vicarious atonement, the 
resurrection of the body, a future general judgement, 
and predestination and election. Like the Swedenborg- 
ians, they are not only Arminians, but thorough-going 



74 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Pelagians, maintaining that the will is free ; that heaven 
is opened by man's good deeds, and hell by his evil 
deeds ; and that man will have a chance of saving him- 
self not only before, but after death. They are said now 
(1886) to number about five thousand members, in 
seventeen communities, and to be worth about ten mil- 
lion dollars. 

The sect called Glassitss in Scotland (from John 
Glass, 1695-1773), and Sandemanians, in England and 
America (from Glass's son-in-law, Robert Sandeman 
1718-1771), sprang from the Presbyterians in the eight- 
teenth century, advocating the independence and volun- 
tary support of churches, and that "faith is a bare be- 
lief of the truth:" though both Glass and Sandeman, 
with at least their immediate adherents, regarded faith 
as the fruit of Divine grace and the work of the Holy 
Spirit. 

A. M. Toplady composed "Rock of Ages, cleft for 
me; let me hide myself in Thee," 'When languor and 
disease invade this trembling house of clay," "Prepare 
me, gracious God," and "Your harps, ye trembling 
saints, down from the willows take." 

John Newton published the "Olney-Hymns," and 
wrote "Amazing Grace, 'how sweet the sound," "In evil 
long I took delight," "Sweet was the time when first I 
felt." "Approach my soul, the mercy seat," "Come 
my soul, thy suit prepare," " 'Tis a point I long to 
know," "Mercy, thou son of David,' "Saviour visit 
thy plantation," "How tedious and tasteless the hours," 
"How sweet the name of Jesus sounds," and "Glorious 
things of thee are spoken." 

William Cowper wrote, "I thirst, but not as once I 
did," "God moves in a mysterious way," "The Spirit 
breathes upon the word," " 'Tis my happiness below," 
"Sometimes a light surprises,", "Hark my soul, it is the 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 75 

Lord," "When darkness long has veiled my mind," "0 
for a closer walk with God," "The Lord will happiness 
Divine," "God of my life, to thee I call," "Far from 
the world, Lord I flee," "There is a fountain filled 
with blood," and "Grace, triumphant in the throne." 

Mr. Toplady says, "I consider that Arminianism is 
the original of all the pernicious doctrines that are proba- 
gated in the world, and destructionism will close the 
whole of them." 

In the last year of his life Mr. John Wesley (1703- 
1791) published a letter in which he wrote: "I live 
and die a member of the church of England, and no one 
who regards my judgement or advice will ever separate 
from it." He designed only to found a "Society" in the 
Anglican communion; and he declared he wished that 
the very name of "Methodist" "might never be men- 
tioned more, but be buried in eternal oblivion." He 
was so staunch an Anglican that he not only wrote a 
pamphlet against the American cause, but also offered 
to raise troops for the British government against the 
colonies ; and all his preachers in America, except Fran- 
cis Asbury, on the breaking out of the Revolutionary 
war, fled to England. In the matter of church polity, 
he conceded that the three orders of Deacons, Priests 
and Bishops early appeared in the church, but he 
denied that these three orders are enjoined in scripture. 
He considered himself, though ordained only a "priest" 
in the church of England," a scriptural "Bishop ;" and 
he ordained Thomas Coke as a super intendant of 
American Methodists, for the purpose, merely of recom- 
mending his delegate to his followers in America— 
though Coke, in his ambition, wished and intended the 
ceremony to be considered as an ordination to a 
bishopric. As for an uninterrupted succession of 
Bishops from the Apostles, Wesley declared that it was 
a "fable which no man ever did or could prove." Wesley 



76 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

governed his Societies with absolute power ; and in 1784, 
towards the close of his life, he, by his famous "Deed 
of Declaration, vested similiar power in an Annual 
Conference of a hundred preachers and their successors. 
He received into Societies all persons who expressed a 
desire to flee from the wrath to come and be saved 
from their sins." He prepared, especially for his 
American Societies, his articles of Religion, at first 
twenty-four in number, increased to twenty-five by 
the adoption, in 1804, of the twenty- third Article ("Of 
the Rulers of the United States of America"), and in 
1832 placed beyond the power of the "Church" to 
"revoke, alter, or change" them. These articles were an 
abridgement of the "Thirty-nine Articles of the Church 
of England," Wesley omitting the Calvinism of the 
Thirty-nine Articles, and not inserting his own Armin- 
ianism or other peculiar doctrines — his design being to 
provide a broad and liberal platform for all professed 
Christians to stand upon. He believed in the inspira- 
tion both of the Scriptures and of himself, and there- 
fore made the doctrines of his sermons and his notes on 
the New Testament (mostly adopted from Bengel's 
Gnomon) the legal basis of his Societies. He generally 
preached briefly and extemporaneously, often selecting 
a text after he entered the pulpit; but sometimes, on 
•special occasions, he spoke from manuscript. He is 
said to have traveled 280,000 miles in his preaching 
tours, and preached in the fifty years of his itinerant 
ministry, 42000 sermons; also to have written, translat- 
ed or edited 200 religious works, and for the latter to 
have received a hundred thousand dollars which, how- 
ever, with almost all his other receipts, he gave away 
in charities, so that he died poor. He left, in his socie- 
ties at his death, 541 itinerant preachers, and 131,000 
members. "In general," says the Encyclopedia 
Britannica, "Wesleyan theology is to be described as a 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 77 

system of evangelical Arminianism." In particular, 
Wesleyan ministers insist on the doctrines of original 
sin, general redemption, repentance, justification by 
faith, the witness of the Spirit and Christian perfec- 
tion — by the witness of the Spirit,, meaning they say, 
a sense of sins forgiven, but not necessarily final (Salva- 
tion; and "Christian perfection," meaning, not sinless- 
ness, but the perfection of love, which they believe to 
be attainable in the present life. The doctrinal essenc? 
of Methodism is thus well stated in the American 
Cyclopedia: "Methodism holds that the salvation of 
each human being depends solely on his own free action 
in respect to the enlightening, renewing and sanctfying 
inworkings of the Holy Spirit (which this system holds 
to be universal). If, in respect to these inworkings, 
he holds himself receptively, he will be sav»ed both here 
and hereafter; but if he closes his heart against these 
influences of the Spirit, he will continue in death both 
here and in eternity." Wesley taught that God made 
man holy, but that man, when he diso'beyed the com- 
mandments of God, fell into spiritual death, became 
dead in the spirit, dead to God, dead in sin, his body then 
becoming corruptible and mortal, and he hastening on 
to death everlasting, to the destruction both of body 
and soul, in the fire never to be quenched. He declared 
that the fall of man is the very foundation of revealed 
religion, and that it is a scriptural, practical, rational, 
experimental doctrine; and from this litter corruption 
of man's nature, this death of the soul, he inferred the 
necessity of a New Birth, land Justification by faith. 

Charles Wesley, the younger brother of John, was 
the poet of Methodism, and the most voluminous of all 
English hymnists. He wrote "Jesus lover of my soul," 
"Blow ye the trumpet, blow," "Come thou Almighty 
King," "Blest be the dear uniting love," and "Come 



78 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

let us join with saints above." Isaac Watts, an almost 
life-long invalid, and never married, was an English 
Independent minister, and the inventor of English 
hymns. He wrote, "Eternal Power, whose high abode," 
"Keep silence, all created things," "Jesus shall reign 
where'er the sun," "When I survey the wondrous cross," 
"Come ye who love the Lord," "Sweet is the work, my 
God, my King," "The heavens declare Thy glory Lord/ 
"How beauteous are thy feet," "Am I a soldier of the 
cross," "Our God, our help in ages past," "How pleasant, 
how divinely fair," "Plunged in a Gulf of dark despair," 
"Join all the glorious names," "My soul, repeat His 
praise," "Not to ourselves, who are but dust," "Let 
others boast how strong they be," "How precious is 
the book Divine," "The law commands, and makes U5 
know," "Blest is the man, forever blest," "Vain are the 
hopes the sons of men," "Go worship at Emmanuel's 
feet," "Behold the sure foundation stone," "He dies the 
friend of sinners dies," "Salvation, the joyful sound," 
"Come Holy Spirit, heavenly dove," "Alas and did my 
Saviour bleed," "Show pity Lord, Lord forgive," "We 
are a garden walled around," "Lo what an entertaining 
sight," "I'm not ashamed to own my Lord," "My God, 
my life, my love," "When I can read my title clear," 
"So let our lives and lips express," "Jesus is gone above 
the skies," "How sweet and awful is the place," "Lord 
what is man, poor, feeble man," "Teach me the measure 
of my days," "There is a land of pure delight," "There 
is a house not made with hands," "And must this 
body die," and "That awful day will surely come." 

Philip Doddridge, an English Independent minister, 
was a life-long invalid and author of 374 hymns, wrote 
"Grace 'tis a charming sound," "Do not I love thee my 
Lord," "Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve," "0 happy 
day that fixed my choice," "See Israel's gentle Shepherd 
stand," "Jesus I love Thy charming name," "Dear Sav- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 79 

iour, we are thine," " 'Tis mine, the covenant of grace," 
"What if death my sleep invade," "Salvation, melod- 
ious sound," "Ye little flock, whom Jesus feeds," "My 
God, what silken cords are thine," and "While on the 
verge of life I stand." 

"The oldest Primitive Baptist church in the United 
States. — The 1 Welsh Tract Church, whose meeting house 
is two miles from Newark, in New Castle County Dela- 
ware, is the oldest Old School Baptist Church in the 
United States, and the only American Baptist Church 
that was regularly organized in Europe before emigrat- 
ing to this country. It was constituted, in the Spring 
of 1701, by sixteen Baptists in the counties of Pembroke 
and Caermarthen, in South Wales, with Thomas Griff eth 
one of their members as their pastor. 

The second oldest Primitive Baptist church in the 
United States. — The second oldest Old School Baptist 
Church, in the United States, is Hopewell, in a village 
of the same name, in Mercer county, N. J. The church 
composed of twelve members, five of whom were Stouts, 
was organized at the residence of Joseph Stout, April 
23, 1715, upon these eight fundamental principles; 

1st. The Three Oneness of God; 2nd. His Self- 
Existence and Sovereignty; 3rd. The Total Depravity of 
man ; 4th. The Eternal, Personal, Unconditional, Election 
of all the numbers of the Body of Christ; 5th. The 
Specialty arid Definiteness of the Atonement; 6th. The 
Necessity of a Spiritual Birth in order to worship God 
in Spirit and in Truth; 7th. The Sovereign and effica- 
cious Operation of Divine Grace upon all the Vessels of 
Mercy ; 8th. The Baptism of Believers by Immersion. 

The third Primitive Baptist Church in the United 
States. — In 1742, a church was organized with lettered 
members from Hopewell and called Kingwood, in Hunt- 
erdon county, New Jersey. 

The fourth Primitive Baptist Church in the United 



80 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

States. — In 1803 twenty-four members were dismissed 
• from Kingwood church to form a church near Harbour- 
town. 

Fifth Primitive Baptist Church in United States. — 
Southhampton Church, in Buck's county, Pennsylvania, 
constituted in 1746 by members from Penny pack, near 
Philadelphia. The above are the five oldest Primitive 
Baptist churches in the United States, and the only 
ones formed in the first half of the eighteenth century. 

The following is a list of the Old School or Primi- 
tive Baptist Associations formed in the eighteenth cen- 
tury: Kehukee, North Carolina and Virgina, 1765; 
l/Ketockton, Virginia, 1766; Redstone Pennsylvania and 
Virginia, 1766; Strawberry, Virginia, 1776; Salisbury 
Maryland, 1782; Salem, Kentucky, 1785; Yadkin, North 
Carolina, 1790; Warwick, North Carolina, 1793; 
Delaware, Maryland, 1785; Chemung, Pennsylvania, 
1796; Miama Ohio, 1797; Mayo, Virginia and 
North Carolina, 1798; and Mountain District, Vir- 
ginia and North Carolina, 1799. Thus in the year 1800, 
there were in the United States sixteen Old School or 
Primitive Baptist Associations, containing about 200 
churches, and about 10,000 members; while there were, 
in all, about 1,500 "Regular Baptist" Churches, with 
about 100,000 members. 

A Circular Letter. — A Circular Letter of 1795 
written by Elder Samuel Jones, is on the twentieth 
chapter of the Confession of Fiaith. — "The Gospel and 
the Extent of the Grace Thereof." Observe the differ- 
ence between the law and the gospel ; the law denounces 
wrath, the gospel publishes peace; the law convinces of 
guilt, the gospel brings an acquittance; the law requires 
satisfaction to the last mite, the gospel discovers that 
satisfaction has been made in full ; the law knows noth- 
ing of mercy, the gospel knows nothing else; in the 
law, righteousness, justice and truth shine gloriously; 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 81 

in the gospel, love, grace, mercy, pity, condescension a: 
compassion do also shine and with much more resplend- 
ent glory. In the gospel we find free grace, free mercy, 
free pardon ; faith and repentance are freely given, and 
with them a new heart, a new nature, new life — all is 
new, all is free. The gospel as the word signifies, is 
good message, good news, glad tidings. Luke ii. 10, 18, 
iv. 18, 19. Isaiah lx. 1-3. 

The gospel brings glad tidings of good things; 
good things done for us, our debt paid, a righteousness 
wrought out, pardon and acceptance procured; good 
things wrought in us, such as regeneration, meekness 
for heaven, faith, hope, and every other grace that is 
necessary for our present use during our passage 
through life; and finally, the good things of heaven it- 
self, even all . the glory and happiness of the beatific 
state. The gospel, in fine, contains a discovery of all 
good things for time and eternity, in deliverance from 
sin and every evil, and the full enjoyment of every bliss 
and happiness beyond what the tongue of men or angels 
can express, or the powers of the human mind conceive. 
From what we have said we shall mention, by way 
of inference, only two useful observations. First that 
according to the gospel, the atonement of Christ did not 
extend to every individual of the human race; and 
secondly, that the gospel contains no conditional offers 
of salvation. 

We mention these, because some in our days seem to 
favor such notions, and some others that tend to mar 
and go a great way toward sullying the glory of the 
gospel. 

In regard to the first, if atonement was made for 
all, it was God's intention that it should ; that intention 
must have its full effect; the effect must be that all 
must and be saved. 

If Christ answered the demands of the law and 



82 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

justice for all, and paid the price in full, then there 
must be guiltless persons in hell for want of being made 
meet for heaven. Christ has done His part, but the 
Spirit declines doing His. Why God should appoint 
satisfaction to be made for all, and afterward not re- 
new and sanctify all, and bring them to heaven, must 
be very strange, and truly inconsistent with the glory 
and perfection of Him, who does nothing in vain, who 
never does a part without doing the whole, who always 
finishes what he begins. It is manifest from the Holy 
Scriptures that Christ made atonement for His people, 
Isaiah liii. 8 ; Luke i. 68 ; His sheep, John x. 15, 26, 29 ; 
xvii. 9; those that were given Him, Heb. ii. 13; who 
were redeemed from among others, Rev. v. 9. 

As to the second to make salvation conditional 
would rob God of His sovereignty, and make His glory 
to depend on man ; while at the same time it would give 
room for boasting. It would also convert the gospel 
of the grace of God into a new law. Is the law of works 
to be prefered to the covenant of grace? If it be of 
grace, says the Apostle, then it is no more of works, 
otherwise grace is no more of grace. What! make 
our happiness depend on man? If we will do part, God 
will do the rest. Alas ! what can man do in the business 
of his salvation, first or last, to promote it? Is he 
altogether dependent on God? Yea, verily, that at every 
step, in the beginning and progress of the glorious work 
he may cry, Grace, grace; and whosoever glorieth, let 
him glory in the Lord. — But these men (Andrew Fuller 
and his followers) make a distinction between natural 
and moral ability. What is the use of this distinction 
but to evade, deceive and confuse? What can natural 
ability avail towards producing a supernatural effect? 
The effect can never exceed its cause, any more than a 
stream can rise higher than its fountain. Now the ex- 
ercise of any and every evangelical grace is supernat- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 83 

ural, is purely of God; but what is born of the flesh 
is flesh, And, besides, if man's natural ability was com- 
petent to repent, .believe, accept, obey, etc., what good 
could it do him since he is never to exert it, unless God 
induces or influences him thereto, and, without which 
influence, all offers and moral suasion will prove ineffec- 
tual? If we speak of repentance, for instance, is not 
Christ exalted as a Prince and a Saviour to give re- 
pentance unto Israel and remission of isins ? If we 
speak of faith; what faith? Natural faith? What can 
this be better than the faith of devils, who believe and 
tremble? But if we speak of supernatural and evangel- 
ical faith, the Scripture is express. By way of dis- 
tinction from the other, it is called the faith of the 
operation of God, the faith of God's elect, like prec- 
ious faith with us, that faith which purifies the heart, 
and worketh by love. And in regard to them who 
receive Him, it is said, to them gave He r>ower. Yea, 
verily, all the power, influence, and everything in the 
business of our salvation is entirely of God alone, and 
not of us, who are but perfect weakness." 

Call to the Ministry. — First. "He must be regen- 
erated by the grace of God, the husband of one wife, 
ruling well his own house, vigilant, sober, of good be- 
haviour, given to hospitality, and not to wine ; not 
ready to strike, or attached to filthy lucre; not given 
to contention, not a lover of money, not self-willed, 
but just and temperate — blameless in all things as the 
steward of God. He must take heed to himself to his 
flock, and to his doctrine. 

Second. Knowledge is requisite. The new man 
is renewed in knowledge; but spiritual understanding 
is progressive, and in this it is required that a minister 
of the word abound. He should possess general views 
of the plan of salvation, of the doctrines of grace, and 
of the law of the house of the Lord? It appears also 



84 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

proper that a church solemnly exhort a young licentiate 
brother to give attendance to reading, to exhortation 
and doctrine ; to meditate on these things, that his prof- 
iting may appear to all. 

Third. An aptness to teach is a requisite — a door 
of utterance, a readiness to communicate the good treas- 
ures of the heart to others. 

Fourth. There must be a Divine call. No man must 
take to himself the honor, unless called of God as was 
Aaron. How can they preach except they be sent? 
Christ displays His sovereignty in calling to office whom- 
soever He pleases. His call is delivered not by visiting 
angels ; it is not heard from the flame of a bush, or 
from the lightening and clouds of a trembling mount- 
ain ; nor is it an audible address from our Lord Jesus 
Christ. To be so called in this last sense was one of 
the signs of an Apostle, but it not applied to the voca- 
tion of ministers now. It is the still, small voice of 
God in the soul, saying, "Ocupy till I come.' The sub- 
ject feels a necessity laid upon him — a dispensation of 
the gospel committed unto him. The souls of men 
appear of greater value than he had before conceived. 
He thirsts to be engaged in the work. He would rather 
be a preacher of Christ than master of all the mines 
in the world. This secret fire begins to break forth. 
In his countenance, in his converse, in his prayer, in 
his exhortations, his exercises discover themselves. At 
length they engage the attention of the church of God, 
who watch these indications with interest, and who, 
after proper trial and satisfaction, set apart the divinely 
called and qualified brother to the work of the ministry. 
Besides these leading and essential qualifications, there 
are several that are contributary to the improvement 
of the minister of God. These may be referred to two 
objects — the furniture of the mind and the affections 
of the heart. We acknowledgs with gratitude and joy 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 85 

that every able minister of the New Testament is made 
such of God and not of men. He raised up Gideon from 
the shsep-fold. The wealthy and the learned were not 
called to be the Apostles of the Lord, but fishermen, 
publicans and tent-makers." 

Ordination of a Minister. — "When the church at 
Jerusalem, the mother of us all, had chosen men to 
office, it is recorded that they set them before the 
Apostles to be ordained by laying on of hands and 
prayers: we desire therefore that this church will set 
before us the man whom they have chosen to the min- 
istry." Then let some member of the church conduct the 
candidate to the minister, one of whom may address 
him in this anner : "The regard we pay to that sacred 
charge, 'lay hands suddenly on no man,' obliges us to 
use caution, Sir, we would be certiified of your call to 
preach." The candidate may relate his call, or present 
a copy of his call, and it may be read. "Wt would 
also see your license, which may be a testimony of your 
good morals, and the approbation which your ministerial 
abilities have obtained." Let the license be read, or let 
the church testify. Then add, "Hitherto your advance 
toward the ministry appears to be regular and four, 
but wea are obliged to seek for further satisfaction, 
which you alone are capable of giving ; permit me there- 
fore to ask you — Do you, Sir, willingly, and not by 
constraint out of a ready mind, and not for filthy lucre, 
devote yourself to the sacred office." The candidate shall 
answer, that the ministry to him is of free choice, and 
that his view is not lucrative. "Do you believe that 
you are moved hereto by the Spirit of God, so that a 
necessity is laid on you to preach the gospel, arid that 
a woe will be to you if you preach it not?" The can. 
didate shall answer the question in the affirmative. "Do 
you take the Bible to be the word of God, in such a 



86 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

sense as to hold yourself bound to believe all it declares; 
to abstain from all it forbids? Do you consider that book 
as the only rule of faith and practice in matter of re- 
ligion ; and a sufficient rule, so that there is no occasion 
for any other judge .of controversies; or creeds, con- 
fessions of faith, traditions or acts of councils, of any 
denominations, to supply its supposed defects? Do you 
hold that book as your creed, or confession of faith and 
will you make it your directory, whether in preaching, 
administering ordinances, exercising government or 
discipline, or in any other branch of your function?" 
The candidate shall confess that he owns it as the word 
of God, and that his resolution is to be directed by it as 
a Christian, and as a minister. After this the candi- 
date shall be desired to kneel, and then ministers lay 
their hands on him and pray each of them. Then the 
ministers are to withdraw their hands, and, when the 
ordained person rises, to salute him in the following 
manner: ''We honor you, dear brother, in the pres- 
ence of all the people, and give to you the right hand 
of fellowship as a token of brotherhood and congratula- 
tions, and wish you success in your office, and an an- 
swer to these prayers which two or three have heartily 
agreed on put up for you." Then the solemnity is to 
be concluded by a charge given to the ordained minister, 
and a certificate of his ordination as follows : 

State of Mississippi, 

Prentiss county. 

This is to certify that A. B. (a minister of the 

Primitive Baptist church, and a member of the church 

in the county and State aforesaid, being before proved 

and recommended by said church) was set apart by 

fasting and prayer, on the day of 

19. . . ., by the imposition of hands of C. D., E. F. and 
G. H., ministers of the gospel, who were called as a 
Presbytery for that purpose; whereby the said A. B. 
is ordained a minister of the gospel, and entitled to the 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 87 

administration of all the ordinances thereof. Witness 
our hands the day and date above written. 

C. D., E. F. and G. H., Presbytery. 
THE OLD PHILADELPHIA AND LONDON CONFESSIONS OF 

FAITH. 

Chapter III. — Of God's decree. 
1. God hath (Isaiah xlvi. 10; Ephesians i. 11; 
Hebrews vi. 17; Romans ix. 15, 18.) decreed in Him- 
self from all eternity, by the most wise, and holy counsel 
of His own will, freely and unchangeably, all things 
whatsoever come to pass; yet so as thereby is God 
neither the author of sin (Jas. i. 15, 17; 1st John i. 5) 
nor hath fellowship with any therein ; nor in. violence of- 
fered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty 
or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather 
(Acts iv. 27, 28; John xix. 11) established in which 
appears His wisdom in disposing of all things, and pow- 
er and faithfulness (Numbers xxiii. 19; Ephesians i. 
3, 5) in accomplishing His Decree. 

2. Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can 
come to pass upon all (Acts xv. 18) supposed condi- 
tions, yet hath he not decreed anything (Romans ix. 11, 
.12, 16 18), because He foresaw it as future, or as that 
which would come to pass upon such conditions. 

3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of 
His glory (1st Timothy v. 21; Matt. xxv. 41), some men 
and angels are presdestinated or foreordained to eternal 
life, through Jesus Christ, to the (Ephesians i. 5, G) 
praise of His glorious grace ; others being left to act in 
their sin to their- (Romans ix. 22, 23, Jude 4.) just con- 
dition, to the praise of His glorious justice. 

' 4. These angels and men thus predestinated and 
foreordained are particularly and unchangeably de- 
signed; and their (2 Timothy ii. 19; John xiii. 18) 
number so certain and definite that it cannot be either 
increased or diminished. 

5. Those of mankind (Ephesians i. 4,. 9, 11; 



88 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Romans viii. 30; 2 Timothy i. 9; 1st Thessalonians v. 
9) that are predestinated to life, God, before the founda- 
tion of the world was laid, according to His eternal, 
immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good 
pleasure of His will, hath chosen in Christ unto ever- 
lasting glory, out of His mere free grace and love 
(Romans ix. 13, 16; Ephesians ii. 9, 12), without any 
other thing in the creature as a condition or cause mov- 
ing Him thereto. 

6. God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so 
He hath by the eternal and most free purpose of His 
will foreordained (1st Peter i. 2; 2nd Thessalonians ii. 
13) all the means there unto wherefore they who are 
elected, being fallen in Adam (1st Thessalonians v. 9, 
10), are redeemed by Christ, are effectually (Roman 
viii. 30; 2nd Thessalonians ii. 13) called unto faith in 
Christ, by his spirit working in due season, are justified, 
adopted, sanctified, and kept by His power through 
faith (2nd Peter i. 3) unto salvation, neither are any 
other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, 
adopted, sanctified and saved, but the elect (John x. 26; 
John xvii. 9; John vi. 44) only. 

7. The doctrine of this high mystery of predesti- 
nation is to be handled with special prudence and care; 
that men attending the will of God revealed in His 
word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may from the 
certainty of this effectual vocation be assured of their 
(1st Thessalonians i. 4, 5; 2nd Peter i. 10) eternal elec- 
tion; so shall this doctrine afford matter (Ephesians i. 
7; Romans xi. 33) of praise, reverence and admira- 
tion of God, and (Romans xi. 5, 6) of humility, diligence 
and abundant (Luke x. 20) consolation to all that sin- 
cerely obey the gosepl." 

The following statement and editorial of Elder A. 
Beebe are copied from Hassell's History: 

Predestination. — In accordance with the request 
of Elder G. Beebe's sons, the publishers of this this 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 89 

book and of the "Signs of the Times," I append the last 
editorial of Elder Gilbert Beebe on the subject of Pre- 
destination, showing in fullhis views, and those of the 
present proprietors of the "Signs of the Times," and of 
a large number of the subscribers of that periodical, in 
regard to God's absolute yet sinless and righteous pre- 
destination of all things. These views are, in general, 
substantially the same as those expressed in the third 
chapter of the Old Philadelphia and London Confessions 
of Faith. I believe, and I think that every Bible Bap- 
tist believes, that God is the Allmighty, all-wise and 
All-Holy Sovereign of the Universe ; that He could have 
prevented the entrance of sin into the world; that He 
perfectly foreknew the fall and all the wickedness of 
men; that He had a purpose worthy of Himself, how- 
ever inscrutible to us, in regard to the entrance of sin, 
as well as in regard to all things else; that by His su- 
preme power and decree He restricts allthe rage and 
malice of wicked men and devils to do no more nor less 
than what He will overrule for the good of His people 
and for His own glory ; that men act voluntarily when 
they commit sin, and are neither tempted nor compelled 
by God to sin ; that God hates sin with a perfect hatred, 
forbids and resents and punishes it, unless properly 
atoned for and repented of, with an everlasting curse. 
As the sinful will of man is but the expression of his 
sinful nature, so I believe that the holy will of God is 
but the expression of His holy nature of character, 
which is essential, infinite, eternal and unchangeable 
holiness, the very impersonation of His holy law, as well 
as His holy and merciful gospel, and the eternal stand- 
ard of all holiness in the universe. I further believe 
that, while the sinner has destroyed himself, all his sal- 
vation, from first to last, is of the pure, unmerited, al- 
mighty and unchanging grace of God. / am informed 
by Elder G. Beebe's sons that their father did not, 



90 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

neither do they, accept the use of the word ''permission" 
in reference to God's decrees. * * — S. H.). 

"Absolute Predestination of All Things. — (Last 
editorial on the subject by the late Elder Gilbert Beebe, 
in the "Signs of the Times," Oct. 1, 1880.) 

The Old School or Primitive Baptists in former 
years have been very definitely identified and distin- 
guished from all other religious or ecclesiastical organ- 
izations as Predestinarian Baptist, and as such have 
borne reproach and vituperation from those who hold 
more limited views of what we regard as the absolute 
and all pervading government of God over all beings, 
all events, and all worlds. With deep solicitude and 
painful concern we have witnessed in the preaching and 
writings of some of our brethren a disposition to so 
yield or modify the doctrine as to limit its application 
to such things as the carnal mind of men can compre- 
hend or the wisdom of this world can approve. While 
some will concede that all things that they regard as 
pure and holy are ordained or predestinated of God, 
they deny that the absolute government of God does 
dictate by absolute decree the wicked works of wicked 
men and devils, for that they say, would make God the 
author of sin. They therefore set up their judgement, 
and set bounds for Infinite Wisdom to be restricted to 
and beyond His government, which limitation he must 
not extend without subjecting Himself to their censure 
as an unjust God and the author of sin. But how lament- 
able is the infatuation of blind mortals, when 

"The vain race of flesh and blood 
Contend with their Creator, God; 
When mortal man presumes to be 
More holy, wise or just than He." 

There are undoubtedly many of the dear people of 
God who feel jealous for the glory of God, and who, 
without any aspiring ambition to be wise above what is 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 91 

written in the sacred Scriptures, from inability to com- 
prehend the two great parallel mysteries of godliness 
and of iniquity, have felt a commendable concern lest 
in our weakness we should impute to God aught that 
w T ould reflect on His adorable perfections, or withhold 
from Him that which He has ordained for the mani- 
festation of His glory. It certainly becomes us, as finite 
beings, to speak of Him and of His government with 
fear and trembling. He is the high and lofty one that 
inhabiteth eternity, and His name is Holy. His at- 
tributes are veiled in that infinity which no finite being 
can by searching find out. He keepeth back the face of 
His throne, the place and power of His government, and 
spreadeth His cloud upon it. As the heavens are higher 
than the earth, so are God's ways higher than our ways, 
and His thoughts higher than our thoughts. The stan- 
dard of infinite purity and holiness is the will of God. 
There can be no higher law than the will of God, for 
only to the standard or counsel of His own will and 
pleasure does He Himself conform. "He worketh all 
things after the counsel of His own will." Ephesians 
i. 2. "Declaring the end from the beginning, and from 
ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying. 
My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." 
—Isaiah xlvi. 10. In this connection He says, "I am 
God and there is none like me." And in the revelation 
of the Lamb, in whom all the fulness of the Godhead 
dwells, "The four and twenty elders fall down before 
Him that sat upon the throne, and worship Him that 
liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before 
the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, Lord, to re- 
ceive glory, and honor, and power; for thou hast created 
all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were 
created." Rev. iv. 10, 11. "0 the depth of the riches, 
both of wisdom and knowledge of God ; how unsearch- 
able are His judgements, and His ways past finding 
out." For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or 



92 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

who hath been His counselor? or who hath first given to 
Him, and it shall be recompensed unto again? For of 
Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things; to 
who be glory forever. Amen." — Romans xi. 33, 36. 

When God created the Heavens and the earth no 
other power than His own was employed, no wisdom but 
His own was consulted, nor was there any other than 
His own will to dictate what, how, or for what purpose 
any thing should be created. As a potter has power 
over the clay, it is his right to form his vessels as He 
please; and if he forms of the same lump vessels to 
honor and vessels to dishonor, who shall dispute his 
right to do so? The prophet says God is the potter and 
we are the clay then what if God, willing to shew His 
wrath, and to make His power known, endured with 
much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted- to de- 
struction ; and that He might make known the riches of 
His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore 
prepared unto glory." Romans ix. 21, 23. Dare any 
of us poor, finite worms of the dust dispute the sov- 
ereign right of God to do all of His pleasure in the 
armies of Heaven and among the inhabitants of earth? 
Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, Why 
hast thou made me thus? How appropriate and forcible 
are the words of Job, "Hell is naked before Him (God), 
and destruction hath no covering. He stretched out the 
North over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon • 
nothing. He bindeth up the waters in His thick clouds, 
and the cloud is not rent under them. He holdeth 
back the face of His throne, and spreadetb His cloud 
upon it. He hath compassed the waters with bounds, 
until the day and night come to an end. The pillars of 
Heaven tremble and are astonished at His reproof. He 
divideth the sea with His power, and by His understand- 
ing He smiteth through the proud. By His Spirit He 
hath garnished the Heavens; His hand hath formed the 
crooked serpent. Lo, these are parts of His ways : but 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 93 

how little a portion is heard of Him? but the thunder 
of His power who can understand?" — Job xxvi. 6, 14. 

Can we contemplate the awful majesty, profound 
wisdom, deep and unsearchable counsel, infinite good- 
ness, unerring workmanship in all that He has conde- 
scended to let us know of His great and marvelous works, 
from the spreading abroad and garnishing of the wide 
Heavens, down to the formation of the crooked serpent, 
and still stand in doubt of His predestinating power 
and unrestricted government over all beings, all worlds, 
and all events? 

Are death and hell and all things naked before 
Him, and destruction uncovered to His all-seeing eye, 
and yet unlimited by His power and wisdom? Has 
he stretched out the North, and balanced the earth 
upon nothing, without any design, purpose or decree 
concerning their subsquent destiny? Has God bound up 
the water in His thick cloud, and "given the sea His 
decree, that the waters should not pass His command- 
ment" (Proverbs viii. 29), and yet left all to the vagary 
of chance? When He set His throne above the Heavens, 
was it to be the place of no power in controlling the 
destiny of all things in Heaven and earth and hell? 
For about six thousand years the sun, moon and stars 
have with exactnes filled their respective orbits, and 
without the variation of a second of time from their 
creation made all their revolutions, in . obedience to the 
decree. of the Creator. Is it by chance that "The Heav- 
ens (thus) declare the glory of God, and the firmament 
showeih His handiwork?" 

But say some to whose minds the doctrine of the 
universal government is- obscure. We admit that God 
has predestinated some things, but do not admit that 
He has predestinated all things which come to pass. 
Let us see how this partial or limited government would 
acord with the Divine record. Suppose that in what we 
have been contemplating of the Heavens we should find 



94 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

the sun and moon, and all the stars but one, held firmly 
to their orbits by the irresistable will and decree of 
God, and that one solitary star, without any fixed orbit, 
is allowed to range the infinity of space, wandering with 
more than lightning velocity, guided only by chance, 
where would be the safety of all the other stars? What 
would become of the predestination of those Heavenly 
bodies intended to be preserved from hazard by the 
decree of God. 

To us it has been a comforting thought that God 
has set the bounds of our habitation on the earth, and 
the number of our months is with Him, and our days 
are appointed to us as the days of an hireling, who can- 
not pass His bounds; but what assurance of safety 
would that afford, if He has left murderers and blood- 
thirsty men or devils unrestricted by His predestinating 
decree? To our minds, either everything or nothing 
must be held in subjection to the will and providence of 
God. Even the wickedness, of ungodly men is restrict- 
ed by predestination, so that "the wrath of man shall 
praise God, and the remainder of wrath He will re- 
strain." 

"Pains and death around us fly — 
Till He bids we cannot die; 
Not a single shaft can hit 
Unless the God of Heaven sees fit." 

For death and hell can do no more than His hand 
and counsel have determined shall be done. Does this 
make God the author of sin? or, in other words, does 
this make Him a sinner, or charge on Him an imputa- 
tion of impurity? By no means. Against whom is it 
posible for God to sin? Is He amenable to any law 
above Himself? If so, by what law can He be indicted, 
in what court can He be tried or convicted? How pre- 
posterous ! It is His eternal right to do all His pleasure, 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 95 

"Nor give to mortals an account, or of His actions or 
decrees." 

It savors of atheism to deny that He is the self- 
existent, independent God who has created all things 
for His own sovereign will and pleasure. And if it be 
admitted that He had a right to create the world, and 
all the worlds, it must then be also admitted that He 
had a right to create them according to His own will 
and pleasure. Worms cannot charge Him with error be- 
cause He did not assign them a more exalted place in th<* 
creation, or for creating them worms instead of men. 
Men cannot justly charge Him for not creating them 
angels, nor angels because He did not make them Gods. 
The world, with its infinite variety of living creatures, 
from the minutest insect to the most huge monster, as 
well as man, were all made for the pleasure of their 
maker, and all must subserve the exact purpose for which 
they were made. Even • the crooked serpent, as well as 
the harmless dove, all were pronounced good in their 
respective places; not good in the sense which God is 
good, but good because they were precisely what he in- 
tended or presdestinated them to be. Had the serpent 
been straight, or the dove crooked, or if the- things 
made had been different from what the Creator intend- 
ed, there would have been a defect in the workman- 
ship. We cannot, with such exalted views as we en- 
tertain, think that God has ever failed to secure the 
perfect accomplishment of His own design or purpose 
in any thing Hs has ever done. The entrance of cin 
into the world, and death by sin, which by the offense 
of one man has passed upon all mankind, was no unpro- 
vided-for event with Him, to whose eyes sin, death, 
and hell have no covering. The eternal pur- 
pose which God had purposed in Himself before the 
world began was sufficiently perfect and comprehen- 
sive to include all that could or can possibly transpire, 
or He would not have declared the end of all things 



96 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

from the beginning. "Known unto God are all His 
works from the beginning of the world." — Acts xv. 18. 

But there are many who admit the foreknowledge of 
God ; and yet deny His determinate counsel, in which the 
certainty of all the events of time depends. Men may 
have a limited foreknowledge of things which God 
has made certain by His determinate counsel and irre- 
vocable decrees, as it is said, "The living know that they 
must die ;" but God's foreknowledge depends on nothing 
outside of Himself, for He has challenged the universe 
to tell with whom He has taken counsel, or who has 
instructed Him. To us it seems perfectly clear that 
nothing could be foreknown that was undetermined, 
and that the foreknowledge and determinate counsel uf 
God are inseparable. 

It is also generally admitted that in the salvation 
of His people, "whom He did foreknow, them He also 
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His 
Son" (Romans viii. 29) ; but that the well beloved Son 
of men was to be crucified by the determinate counsel and 
foreknowledge of God, is not so readily admitted. The 
wicked works of those who crucified the Lord of glory 
were not foreknown by his murderers; but it was 
foreknown and determined of God, Peter said, to 
those whom he charged with the wickedness of killing 
the Prince of life. "I wot that through ignorance ye 
did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which 
God before had shewed by the mouth of all His prophets, 
that Christ should suffer, He hath so fulfilled," — Acts 
iii. 17, 18. "For of a truth against Thy holy child Jesus, 
whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius 
Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were 
gathered together, for to do whatsovere Thy hand and 
Thy counsel determined before to be done." — Acts iv. 
27, 28. 

The wickedness of men in betraying and crucifying 
our Lord had been positively predicted from* the days 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 97 

of Abel, in what God spake to the fathers by the pro- 
phets, and by what was signified by all the offerings 
which were made under the former dispensation. The 
pieces of silver for which He was betrayed were count- 
ed and declared hundreds of years before Judas was 
born; and the dividing of His garments, and the lot 
cast for His seamless robe, was determined of God and 
declared by the prophets. The history of Joseph, and 
the wickedness of his brethren, was in fulfillment of 
his dreams, and in accordance with the purpose in 
which Joseph said, God meant it for good. 

It has been said by some that these great events 
which God has overruled for good were ordered of the 
Lord, but that the smaller matters, and the wickedness 
of men, were not predestinated. Our Saviour has in- 
formed us that the determinate counsel of God in His 
all-pervading providence numbers the hairs of our head, 
so that not a hair can fall to the ground without Him ; 
even the little sparrows are protected, and the ravens 
are provided with food by His determinate counsel. 
And Paul assures us that "We know that all things 
work together for good to them that love God, to them 
who are called according to His purpose." 

It seems to us unreasonable, as well as unscrip- 
tural, to say that the government of God directs and 
controls some things, and that other things are left to 
the control of men or devils. If God's government ex- 
tends only to the good deeds of men, then is his absolute 
government totally excluded; for "As it is written, there 
is none righteous, no, not one ; there is none that under- 
standeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are 
all gone out of the way, they are together become un- 
profitable; there is none that doeth good, no not one." 
Romans iii. 10, 12. We would not limit the government: 
of our Lord, nor, because we cannot comprehend His de- 
signs, dare to say He has no designs. 



^8 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

"He in the thickest darkness dwells, 
Performs His work, the cause conceals; 
But though His methods are unknown, 
Judgment and truth sustain His throne. 

"In Heaven and earth, and air and seas, 
He executes His firm decrees; 
And by His saints it stands confessed 
That what He does is always nest." 

Men act voluntarily when they commit sin; they 
have no more knowledge of or respect for the purpose 
of God, than Joseph's brethren or Potiphar's wife had 
in his case, for there is no fear of God before their eyes. 
It is even so with the princess of this world ; if they had 
known Jesus, they would not have crucified the Lord of 
glory. But it was needful that Joseph should be cast 
into prison, and it was expedient that Christ should 
suffer ; thereupon that knowledge was withheld from the 
persecutors of Joseph and of Jesus, until they should 
fill up the cup of their wickedness. And it is thus in 
the wisdom of God that the world by wisdom shall not 
know Him. Yet such is the wisdom, power and right- 
eous government of our God that He can and does set 
the exact bounds by which the wickedness of men and 
devils is limited, and beyond which they cannot go. 
Satan is bound a thousand years with a great chain, 
and after the thousand years he shall be loosed for a 
short time. With all his rage and malice he is restrict- 
ed by the supreme power and decree of God, to do no 
more nor less than what God will overrule for the good 
of His people and for His own glory. And thus also, 
"God willing to shew His wrath, and to make His power 
known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of 
wrath fitted to destruction," as in the case of Pharaoh 
and the Egyptians, hardening the heart of Pharaoh 
until all the plagues and judgements were accomplished, 
and His ov/n almighty power and glory were then made 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 99 

known in delivering the Hebrews, and in overwhelming 
Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea. Therefore hath 
He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He 
will He hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why 
doth He yet find fault? For who hath resisted 
His will? Nay but, man, who art thou 
that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say 
to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?" 
— Romans ix. 17-22. 

The apostle, fully aware of the disposition of the 
carnal mind to cavil and reply against the sovereignty 
of God in the execution of His pleasure, did not at- 
tempt to apologize for God, or so to modify the doctrine 
as to render it less objectionable to the infinite dis- 
parity between the infinitely wise, holy and omnipotent 
God, who holds our everlasting destiny, and by whose 
long-suffering we are permitted to live, and poor, finite, 
depraved short-sighted man and the daring presump- 
tion and extreme folly of questioning the justice or 
wisdom of God in working all things after the counsel 
of His own will. We regard it as a very serious mat- 
ter to charge that God cannot govern the world, by His 
own determinate counsel, wisdom and power, accord- 
ing to the eternal and immutable design or purpose 
purposed in Himself before the world began, without 
subjecting. Himself to the charge of being the author 
of sin. Sin is the transgression of the law under which 
the transgressor was justly held amenable, and to the 
penalty of which he is subject. But we have endeavor- 
ed to show that God is under no law but that of His 
own will and pleasure, and therefore He doeth His 
pleasure in the armies of Heaven and among the in- 
habitants of earth. He could by no law be held -under 
obligation to leave the affairs of this world or any pari 
of them to be governed by chance, or by the will of men. 
As He is one mind, and none can turn Him, His pur- 
poses are eternal, like Himself. His decrees being per- 



100 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

feet from everlasting, admit of no improvement or 
change. If He had not the right to predestinate all 
things pertaining to the events of time before Hie created 
the world, we ask what right has He acquired sub- 
sequently to execuse the orders of His throne? If it had 
been His pleasure to have prevented sin from entering 
into the world, can we doubt His power or wisdom or 
ability to have done so? If sin has entered this world 
in opposition to His will, or because He had (not the 
wisdom and power to prevent its entrance; what 
assurance have we that it will not also enter the 
world to come? But it is to our mind far more consis- 
tent with what God has graciously made known to us 
of Hi? being and attributes to believe that God had a 
purpose worthy of Himself, however inscrutible to us, 
in regard to the entrance of sin, as well as in regard 
to all things else. He bids us "Be still, and know that 
He is God/' To our feeble mind the conclusion is un- 
avoidable, that the predestination of God either con- 
trols all things or nothing. 

We look at a vast complicated machine with its 
ten thousand wheels. We cannot comprehend or un- 
derstand its workings, but we are told that the machin- 
ist has a perfect knowledge of all its parts save one; 
there is a definite use for every wheel and spring, but 
one is held in the machine which has no certain motion 
or definite use. How long could that machine run in 
safety, with the unruly part liable at any moment to 
throw the whole into confusion? We cannot see how 
any part of the government of God can be absolute and 
secure, if God has not the undivided government of the 
whole in all its parts ; and if He has today the full con- 
trol, had He not the same control yesterday and forever? 
If He has not the full control today, is there any cer- 
tainty that He will have tomorrow or at any future 
period? If we admit that God absolutely governs all 
things according to the counsel of His own will, and that 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 101 

He is immutable, then we must admit that He has deter- 
mined what shall and what shall not transpire in time 
or in eternity. But to deny His universal control of all 
things, including all principalities and powers, thrones 
and dominions, things present or to come, whether they 
be visible or invisible, is to deny that He is the God of 
the whole earth, and virtually deny His eternal power 
and Godhead. If He has not the power and wisdom 
to determine all events, how can He cause all things to 
work together for good to them that love Him? 

But while we hold that He is supreme in power 
and that He works all things after the counsel of His 
own will, we are certain that He reigns in righteousness, 
and that there is no unrighteousness with Him. To ad- 
mit the universal government of God, is to admit the 
predestination of all things, from the falling of a 
sparrow to the destruction of a world. In the absence 
of predestination, with what certainty could the Holy 
Ghost inspire the holy prophets and apostles to fore- 
tell all that should come to pass? If it were undeter- 
mined in the purpose of God, how could the apostles tell 
us of perilous times that should come in the last days of 
apostasy from the faith, and spiritual wickedness in 
high places? 

But we will submit these remarks to the considera- 
tion of our readers, and desire that what we have writ- 
ten may be carefully tested by the infallible standard, 
the Scriptures, and received only so far as they are 
sustained by the word and spirit of our God." 

From Zion's Advocate — Dear saints of God — Dur- 
ing my long absence in person you never have con- 
vened without my being with you in the spirit of my 
mind. Few meetings, more especially so (the first of 
which was in 1874) when you met at Ebenezer church 
in Monroe county. Previous to this there had been 
novel things advocated among us, which we considered 
contrary to the. doctrines of God our Saviour, and I 



102 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

was satisfied that this matter would come before your 
body; hence the great anxiety while I awaited the re- 
sult. But -I was made glad when you raised your stand- 
ard against these things that presented a threatening 
aspect. Your course, the next week, was endorsed hy 
Pilgrim's Rest Association, and the next by Buttahatchie, 
and the result was peace — not a figured, dissembling and 
and hypocritical peace, but peace with God through our 
Lord Jesus Christ, and one another. Thus we moved 
on quietly and in much love until June, 1879, when a 
letter came before us which can be found in the Primi- 
tive Baptist, Vol. XXXV., No. 9, over the signature of 
D. Bartley, the burden of which is exhorting the breth- 
ren of the south to peace, and then, strange to say, 
introduces Elders Beebe, Dudley and Johnson among us 
as of the same faith with us when he must have known 
the doctrines advocated by those elders have been the 
cause of all the discord and confusion that has been 
in many localities for the last thirty years and from 
same we had hoped we would be kept free, at least after 
your protest already referred to. I will here make an 
extract from Elder D. Bartley's letter : "Let me assure 
all the dear brethren to whom it may come that I have 
traveled among and associated with many, very many, 
of our brethren and ministers East, West and North, 
and they all, the Beebes, Dudleys and Johnsons included^ 
received my preaching in the love of the truth as you 
all did in Alabama and Mississippi, and I know that 
we are one, at least in doctrine and. faith, as we will 
prove to all before we are done, if you will bear with 
us." 

Elder B. did us injustice in a reply, if it can be 
called a reply. In the Watchman, Vol. XL, No. 5, he 
says: "I am censured for saying of the household of 
faith, we are one people, one body and brotherhood in 
Christ." For such no one has ever been censured. Why 
not have told it as he did at first, that Elders Beebe, 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 103 

Dudley and Johnson were of the household of faith with 
us, when we know theirs is as different as light and 
darkness, truth and error? For this Elder Bartley was 
censured. Brother Moderator, let us be calm and exer- 
cise the grace of patience as best we may, never losing 
sight of the admonition of the sainted John, "Try the 
Spirits" — and beware of the constant hum of the lullaby, 
"Let us have peace," while the enemy is making inroads 
among us, destroying our peace ; to oppose such, to them 
we become the individuals they say God hates. But let 
none of these things move us, neither count our 
lives dear unto us, so that we may finish our course with 
joy. This second introduction of Arminianism among 
us, although somewhat differently clad, is but the same 
in fact, and I was fully prepared to believe that this 
matter would come up before you at your meeting at 
Westmoreland church, Lee county, Miss., in 1879, which 
it did and like those well harnessed and fitted to the 
conflict, acquitted yourselves like those who had grown 
to the stature of men in Christ Jesus re-adopting your 
resolutions against the growing heresies. Paul says to 
the Roman church that their "faith is spoken of 
throughout our whole world." If we cannot say this 
much of you, may we not say your faith is known as 
far as you are known? Dear brethren, be steadfast. 
This meeting was the one, or second one, I had refe- 
rence to, in which I felt such deep solicitude, but my 
fondest anticipation was fully realized by your prompt 
action. I thought I had reached a point not to be 
much astonished at anything that might come up, but 
I must confess I was not a little surprised when I saw 
the last minutes of our dear old Buttahatchie Associa- 
tion, that stood with us and by us in all of our troubles 
and conflicts with the Arian heresy, and all others with 
whom and among whom we have spent almost all our 
ministerial life, and language fails to supply me with 
words to give a full expression of my feelings while I 



104 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

was so long associated with those brethren, and more 
especially with my dear brother, S. C. Johnson, who 
may be standing before you while this is read, with 
whom I have labored more than with anyone in the 
ministry, and if there was a discordant note it never 
made its impression upon my mind, and neither do I 
think there would be yet, were we thrown together in 
our ministry. 

But, alas, when we turn to their minutes, referred 
to, we find a resolution saying, "If the Tombigbee Asso- 
ciation has not or does not retract her. present course 
relative to said elders" to withhold (our) their corres- 
pondence. Now dear brethren, if it is required of us, 
or rather demanded, that we shall endure Elders Beebe, 
Dudley and Johnson, for they are the elders alluded to, 
as a prerequisite to the continuance of our correspon- 
dence with our dear old Buttahatchie, then has, or will, 
our correspondence cease forever ; at least, I can speak 
for myself, for I had rather die with Christ than live 
with Anti-Christ with all the emoluments and praise 
that man can bestow upon me; and when I thus speak 
I think I speak the sentiments of my dear old Tombigbee 
Association. However much we might regret such an 
event with those brethren we so fondly love, we must 
not forget to obey God, as it is better than all burnt 
offerings. Notwithstanding we have thus spoken, and 
having taken up the darkest side of the picture that can 
turn up, as we think, yet we are strong in believing and 
hoping that God will over-rule it all to His glory and 
our good, and the brethren that seem now to censure us 
will see their wrong, rescind their resolution, wheel into 
ranks, stand by our side shoulder to shoulder and in 
general phalanx meet our assailants and with the sword 
of the Lord and of Gideon put them to flight. Then will 
we be prepared to say, "Thanks be to God, which giveth 
us the victory, though our [uncreated] Lord Jesus 
Christ." But that we attain to this happy state of 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 105 

things we feel it to be our duty, and by others it may 
be expected, that we set forth the reasons or cause of the 
course we have felt it our duty to pursue, and that we 
may do so in the clearest light, or to be most easily 
understood, we now propose to present the charges 
that we make against the Arian party, the leaders of 
which are the elders already referred to : 

First. That Christ, as the Son of God and head of 
the church, was the first production of Divine power, 
which, of course was the first creature that God made, 
and by him He created the world as Solomon created 
the temple of Hiram — as Elder Trott says, as an agent. 

Second. When he (Christ) in his mediatorial third 
nature was created, the church, or elect of God, was 
simultaneously, vitally and actually created in Him; 
hence comes their actual vital union. 

Third. The life-giving Spirit by which sinners are 
quickened is a created existence which to me is a con- 
tradiction, or superfluous. 

Fourth. That the church, or elect of God, never stood 
nor fell in Adam. 

Fifth. That there is no part of the Adam man, 
neither in soul, body or spirit, born again in the new or 
second birth : hence no necessity for the created spirit, 
as in the third specification. 

Sixth. If Christ's human nature or body would 
have answered as well. 

Seventh. When Christ, the Son of God and head 
of the church, was put to death, all the members were 
dead ; there was not a living saint during the time he 
lay in the tomb. 

I ask in all candor, before God and His church, can 
there be a Baptist found that believes the doctrines as 
set forth in the seven specifications above? I answer, 
not one. There may be some, and I suppose there are, 
that believe them, but they are not Baptists. 

Brother Moderator, and brethren all, as this is a 



106 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

matter of vital importance, I feel satisfied that you will 
hear us patiently while we read from the " Signs of the 
Times" and other papers in which they have written, 
and prove to you beyond a doubt that the Arian party 
is guilty of the charges we have preferred against them. 
Should we fail to do so, which we have no fears with 
the documentary evidence before us, we should adopt the 
language of Judah, "Let me bear the blame forever." 
Elder J. T. Johnson, to my knowledge, has never denied 
the charges made against them ; if he has, he ought not, 
but the other two elders referred to have, positively; 
and when I saw their denial, to say I was sorry on their 
account hardly gives an expression to my feelings ; for, 
if I know my own heart, I have nothing against them, 
except as they stand in connection with their doctrine, 
which I have and still oppose acording to the ability 
God has given me. No disposition to hurt them, but 
my object has been all the time to keep them from hurt 
ing and scattering the saints of God, which has been 
done to an alarming extent. Brethren, in God's name 
and strength, help us to stop it. Those elders in their 
denial came up as usual in their cutting and scathing 
language peculiar to their own selection. This, how- 
ever, I do not care to notice further than with them, 
this seems to be allowable; but if a Baptist, in the most 
gentle way, uses their names in connection with their 
false doctrines we are too personal. If those fastidious 
brethren will not lose sight of Christ and his apostles 
in their rebukes to perverters and heretics, they might 
look at things from a different standpoint, and see that 
a feigned, dissembling courtesy was not by them tolerat • 
ed. Faithfulness is the watch-word of the Bible. Let us, 
then, dear brethren, be faithful to God and one another. 
Follow no man, not even an angel from heaven, farther 
than they follow Christ. It might be best here to make 
a statement in part of what those elders have said in 
their denial, and let the brethren bear in mind, and 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 107 

they may agree with me before we get through, that 
they ought not to have made these denials. Elder Beebe 
says, "Now, we ask in all candor, who that have read 
our publications for years have ever heard us utter any 
of the absurdities named in the six specifications stated 
in the above articles ? Long as we have lived among the 
Baptists, and familiar as we have been with the doc- 
trines held by the various orders and religious sects, we 
have never met with any man, woman or child who 
professed to hold any or all of the six specifications as 
they are stated above, or anything from which such in- 
ference could be legitimately inferred.'' Elder T. B. 
Dudley says, "That the spirit of iniquity presided at 
the meeting at which the allegations were fulminated 
will be manifest when it is known to thousands who are 
acquainted with my ministry for nearly seventy years, 
that there is not one word of truth in the charges, or 
either of them." When these denials were published we 
understand that some rejoiced, while we think they 
should have been moved to feelings of commiseration or 
pity. . These specifications of the Big Harpath church, 
referred to by Elder Beebe in his denials, as stated 
above, were adopted by ' Tombigbee Association at her 
last session, which, in point of facts, are the same is 
the charges we make in this paper, differing a little in 
phraseology. They are synonymous. Let brethren keep 
these charges and denials before them, while the brother 
clerk, if necessary to prevent mistakes, calls some one 
to his assistance while he reads from the "Signs of the 
Times" that what we have written may appear from 
their own pen to be identical and verbatim, the same : 

First: "Signs of the Times," Vol. XVITL, No. 7. 
We read from a letter over the signature of Thomas 
Hill. After commending the editor in the use of some 
terms, he says: "I will submit to a thought which has 
occupied my mind, for many years, on this interesting 
subject. From the testimony of the Scriptures my 



108 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

mind has been led to conclude that Christ, as the Son 
of God and Head of the church, was the first produc- 
tion of Divine power." A produced Christ must have 
been made or created, as we have charged them. 

In the same paper read the editor's reply to Elder 
Hill. After some salutatory greetings he says: "Our 
object when we commenced this article, was to make 
some remarks on the letter of Brother Hill. We thank 
him for the suggestions he has so kindly made, and 
would remark that we do not discover any important 
difference between us, except in our manner of express- 
ing what we have called eternal union and which he calls 
everlasting union. We are not sure that his is not a 
better name for the sentiment, especially as it is less 
objectionable to the saints; for we know of no Old 
School Baptist who denies that the union of which wc 
speak is everlasting, though some brethren doubt the 
propriety of calling it eternal. Hence the editor fully 
endorsed Elder Hill in his produced or created Christ. 

Second. "Signs of the Times," Vol. XVIL, No. 23, 
editor's reply to J. Clark : "We do believe that Christ as 
the fountain and source of life to His saints was so 
constituted, made or created by God; for these are 
scriptural terms and must have a meaning. * * * * We 
agree with Brother Trott that the law of the Spirit of 
life in Christ Jesus; by which we are made free from 
the law of sin and death has reference to the power of 
immortality given us in Christ, and not to the person of 
the Holy Ghost ; but when it is written, the Spirit of the 
Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach 
good tidings to the meek, we understand that the Holy 
Ghost is intended." The editor is quite pointed here in 
Christ being a creature created by God, and in his argu- 
ment with Elder Trott there is a tacit inference of his 
agreeing with him in his created spirit, and that the 
Holy Ghost is a comforter— which is true — but not its 
province to quicken or regenerate dead sinners. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 109 

Third. "Signs," Vol. XVIL, No. 21, editorial reply 
to E. S. Dudley: "This mediatorial qualification, we be- 
lieve is found in his peculiar Sonship, as the Son or 
descendant of God, in which He is declared in the Scrip- 
tures to be the only begotten of the Father." "The 
first born of every creature," the beginning of the cre- 
ation of God," etc. We can not understand that any of 
these terms which imply derivation or dependence to be 
applicable to His essential Godhead: neither can we see 
how they can apply to His humanity; but we do under- 
stand them as applicable in his mediatorial headship, 
and as the spiritual life of His body to the church. If 
any brother shall object to this view that it makes Him 
a triune character, we would ask that brother, which of 
these peculiar characters can be dispensed with without 
disqualifying Him for the mediatorial office?" In this 
it is clearly to be seen, as in other places, that the editor 
makes Christ triune, possessing three natures: First, 
that He is truly God ; second, that He is truly man ; 
that, His mediatorial nature is that which was created, 
and the above Scripture is perverted to that end, such 
as, begotton of the Father;' 'the first born of every 
creature/ 'the beginning of the Father,' while they 
prove to the very reverse. Instead of being the first 
creature made He is the creator of all things, and such 
doubtless, in the sense in which those Scriptures shall or 
must be understoood, acording to the Holy Ghost. 

"Signs," Vol. XVIL, No. 13, editorial set forth : 
"Christ existed as the Son of God before He was made of 
a woman, and so His seed existed in Hini as their media- 
torial and seminal head before they were created in. 
Adam. When we speak of the existence of Christ as 
the Son of God, the mediator, the head of the church 
and life of His people, before He became incarnate, we 
do not allude to His absolute Godhead, for in His God- 
head He is the eternal, the self-existent God in the most 
absolute sense of the word, but we allude to what He 



110 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

was at the beginning of the creation of God and the 
first born of every creature; and thus existing, in His 
mediatorial character, the fulness of the Godhead and 
the fulness of the church were embodied in that media- 
torial existence." We don't think it will require the most 
astute observer to detect the Arians in their frequent 
and labored effort to establish the fact that the essential 
word, or logos, is God, eo-eval, co-essential and co-eter- 
nal with the Father and the Holy Ghost. They never 
have been accused of denying this, to my knowledge. 
Then why this unceasing effort, "but to cover up their 
deformity? Under this precious, blessed, fragrant 
bower of evergreen (Trinity), when they come to speak 
of Christ as the Son of God, He is a creature, the first 
thing that God made, which was before time, and when 
He was created, the church or elect, was actually, vitally 
or simultaneously created in Him. This appears in all 
we have written above, and will be more apparent as 
we proceed. 

Fifth. "Signs" Vol. XVII., No. 11, in which you 
will find some questions propounded to the editor by 
Aaron Hood, and the answer. First, inquiring, What 
may we understand by Christ as the Head of the church, 
"Set up ?" Second, What may we understand by the 
word "created," when used in reference to Christ as 
the Head of His church? Third, Is Christ the Head of 
the church in His triune character of Father, Son and 
Holy Ghost, or only in a created relationship to it: 
Elder Hood knew very well where the editor stood when 
he asked these three pertinent questions, and proceded 
to say "In your reflection of Parkerism," on p. 11, you 
say, "But in His mediatorial office or headship of the 
church, He was set up, created and begotten, and all of 
His church was set up in Him, created in Him and be- 
gotten in Him so far as relates to their spiritual life 
and spiritual condition." 

Editor's reply in same paper : "Brother Hood views 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 111 

Christ as possessing two whole complete natures— hu- 
man and divine. So do we; but much of the difficulty 
involved, as we conceive, with our esteemed brother, 
and with many others, is restricting Him to two natures 
— human and Divine — and so losing sight of His media 
torial nature altogether, as being a mediator between 
these two natures. * * * * Now, Brother Hood, we 
trust, will unite with us in searching for the golden 
link which unites these two natures in our Emanuel. 
Paul says, "For there is one God, and one mediator be- 
tween God and men, the man Christ Jesus." — 1st Tim. 
ii. 5. Then to unite these two natures which, distinctly 
considered, are as widely apart as Heaven and earth, 
there is one mediator. Now, this mediatorial existence 
of Christ is that to which we have understood such 
terms as set up, begotton, greated, first born, together 
with every other name or title which expresses or im- 
plies derivation of inferiority to be applied in the Scrip- 
tures, excepting only such names or terms as are applied 
strictly to His humanity. Christ, as the life or seminal 
Head of His own church, or body of which He is the 
Head and life, and when that Head was put to death in 
the flesh, the life of the body or church was taken away, 
and all the members were dead so long as He remained 
in the grave ; but when He was raised up, together with 
His dead body, did all His members arise from death 
and were quickened together with Him." 

I hardly think the critic will be necessary to dis- 
cover the position assigned the Son of God as mediator 
by the editor, in this piece. He ascribes to Him three 
natures, and the third is that of which He speaks when 
He says, "Set up, begotten and created," and that this 
created Christ was the Head that was put to death in 
the flesh. This is fully in agreement with the senti- 
ments advanced by the editor in a circular letter written 
by himself to the Warwick Association. He says, "It 
is therefore clear that whatever constituted Him the 



112 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Son of God was delivered up for the defense of His peo- 
ple. And if, as we think, none will contend that His 
Godhead died, and something more than humanity was 
delivered up, the conclusion seems to be unavoidable that 
Christ, in His mediatorial life and Headship of the 
church, suffered, died and arose from the dead." Now, 
dear brethren, if the views of the editor be correct, I 
acknowledge that I am. in ignorance and darkness rela- 
tive to the soi] ship of Christ as our mediator. I have 
hoped, and still do, that I know something about Him, 
according to the declaration given by Paul, where he 
tells us "God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the 
Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, be- 
lieved on in the world, received up into glory;" and the 
beloved disciple John, agrees thereto when he tells us, 
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was 
with God, and the Word was God;" "And the Word 
was made flesh and dwelt among us." Neither John nor 
Paul seemed to know anything of a "created Christ." 
"The first production of Divine power." Neither do I. 
May God be pleased to preserve us from all evil, and in 
His holy will, have mercy on those that we feel it our 
duty to oppose, and bring them to a knowledge of the 
truth as it is in Jesus. Then we would gladly meet them 
at the threshold and give them a hearty welcome among 
the saints of God. 

Sixth. "Signs" Vol. XV., No. 22: "We know of 
no nature depraved from Mary above the nature which 
Mary herself possessed. Nor do we know how anything 
could be derived from any source that did not previously 
possess that thing; if Mary possessed a nature, or was 
capable of imparting a nature which could, if offered, 
take away the sins of all the election of grace, we canot 
perceive why God spared not His own Son or why 
Mary's body would not have answered the same pur- 
pose." By the Holy Ghost we are told that "The seed 
of the woman should bruise the serpent's head." The 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 113 

editor, not being satisfied at this, is in search, we sup- 
pose, for that something more than humanity was de- 
livered up which we have before referred to, "his creat- 
ed Christ." Has he lost sight of Mary's miraculous con- 
ception by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost? 

Second. "Signs" Vol. XVIL, No. 19, p. 147, you 
will discover a letter over the signature of T. P. Dudley, 
wherein he pounces down on Elder Beebe, for committ- 
ing himself to Elder Williams. Elder Dudley, says; 
"From the moment I read your response to Elder Will- 
iams' queries in No. 12 Signs,, I have had it in con- 
templation to write to you and drop some suggestions 
for your consideration. Knowing Elder Williams, and 
being satisfied that I knew the motive which prompted 
him in propounding the queries to you, I was prepared 
for his exultation at your admitting that the soul is 
regenerated. That Brother Beebe has committed him- 
self in his reply to Elder Williams I think will be made 
manifest on his re-examining the following position 
taken in his reply, (He now quotes Elder Beebe's reply) : 
"If what we have written thus far on this query be cor- 
rect, then nothing in the Christian is a new creature 
but what was actually in Christ." (Then shows Elder 
Beebe's inconsistency when he says) : "A "little lower 
down on the same page you say, 'And this quickening is 
the communication of new life to the soul, which was 
dead, by the which that soul is made alive and becomes 
a new creature." Now this is the way that Elder Beebe 
used to talk in his better days, but Elder Dudley could 
not stand it when his favorite dogma was in danger, 
that is, nothing of man, soul, body or spirit, born again 
in the new birth, and Elder Beebe had to succumb to 
the stronger as you will notice in his closing remarks. 
In his- editorial reply to be found in the same paper, 
he says: "We. wish to recall the terms referred to in 
our reply to Elder Williams, and instead of saying the 
soul becomes a new creature, let it read, and this quick- 



114 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

ening is the communication of new life to the soul that 
was dead, by the which that soul becomes animated by 
a vitality distinct from that derived from Adam." Even 
after this change to please Elder Dudley it is much bet- 
ter than he has it now when he says : "This spirit which 
is born of the Spirit that raised up Jesus from the 
dead." May the good Lord be pleased to deliver us from 
such duplicity and double dealing on matters of such 
vital importance to us all. Once more from Elder 
Beebe: Eighth, "Signs," Vol. XVIL, No. 17, editor's 
reply to Elder E. S. Dudley: "We have, in the honesty 
and simplicity of our heart, labored to make ourselves 
understood by our brethren; but from the numerous 
questions sent in, it would seem that all we have said 
has served only to mystify the subject of the vital 
church and to perplex and bewilder the minds of the 
dear saints of God." That this was a truism spoken by 
the editor, and has proven itself to be such for thirty 
years in its perplexing, bewildering discord and con- 
fusion among the saints, is evident. Lower down he 
says : "If therefore the seminal existence of our human 
nature in the first Adam united us vitally to him from 
the date of his creation, so the seminal existence of our 
spiritual nature in Christ constituted a real vital union 
and identity with him from everlasting." In this editor- 
ial Elder Beebe asks Elder Dudley seven questions ; but 
as our piece threatens to be too voluminous, I commence 
at the fifth. First, however; its heading, he says: "If 
Brother Dudley, with some others, will take the posi- 
tion that the church had no real existence in Christ be- 
fore the world began and only prospectively, or in pur- 
pose, existed in him, we ask : Does the church now exist 
in Christ differently from that prospective or preordain- 
ed sense? and if she did, when did the change take place? 
and where shall we find the record of such a change? 
and how shall we reconcile that change with the immu- 
tability of Christ as declared in the above text?" Sixth. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 115 

If the church only exists in Christ prospectively, or in 
purpose, now, will she ever exist in him in any other 
sense?" Seventh. Would a prospective or predestinat- 
ed existence in Christ constitute any vital relationship 
between Christ and his people? But we will." It is 
scarcely necessary here for me to say that the editor's 
course, 'When writing on this new theory keeps a 
veil over the face of his readers, and some- 
times it is quite thick ; but in the extract last made it is 
thin enough for all. to see his eternal, actual, vital un- 
ion. Let it be borne in mind that all the extracts we 
have made are from the Signs of the Times, thus far, 
and from the pen of the editor, except Elder Hill's (and 
that he endorsed) and from T. B. Dudley, and the at- 
tentive hearer before whom they have been publicly read 
is prepared to say that our charges against that party 
is true, at the same time might wish to ask, "Have 
there not been' some good things said in those editor- 
ials?" We answer, "Yes; arid therein lies the danger 
of drawing away disciples after them." But it is all 
marred in the hands of the potter by the casting in of 
false doctrine as "green gourds," hence "death in the 
pot." If the editor had told this thing out straight with- 
out any mist, even as much so as Elder Trott has, and 
he had some, there would not have been a sure-enough 
Baptist to be found in their ranks. But, alas for the 
poor, down-trodden Zion, how she bleeds at every pore! 
But more from Elder T. P. Dudley. Ninth. "Signs" 
Vol. XVII., No. 20, pages 154 and 155, he says: "Is it 
not evident, then, that all living souls were created in 
and simultaneously with the first man Adam, that they 
all (being born of him necessarily partake of his nature. 
"And he called their name Adam ;" and that all "quicken- 
ed spirits" were created in and simultaneously with the 
last Adam," that they all being born of him, born of 
God, are necessarily partakers of his nature? that all 
living souls no more necessarily descend from the firs+- 



116 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Adam than all quickened spirits necessarily descend 
from the last Adam? * * * We should not forget that 
Adam the first is said to be the "figure of him that 
was to come." What, then, do we learn from the figure? 
That the bride and all the spiritual children were creat- 
ed in and simultaneously with the last Adam." Brother 
Moderator, are we quite sure that twice two are four? 
If so, we need not be more so, than that Elder T. P. 
Dudley makes Christ a creature in the above extract, 
and that when he (Christ) was created, the bride and 
all the spiritual children were created in, and simultan- 
eously with him, that is, at the same time. No dodging 
this issue. As we are on this point we will turn to Elder 
Trott, and then to Elder Dudley again. Tenth. "Signs" 
Vol. XVII., No. 20, pages 121 and 122 : "In my com- 
munication in No. 10, present Vol., "Signs," in replying 
to Barton's query concerning the church being created in 
Christ Jesus naturally involved the idea that his church 
was created in his creation as the head of his church, 
and of course; as far back as he has stood as her head. 
I referred to 1st Cor. xv. 45, as sustaining the same 
idea, and also Rev. iii. 14, and Col. i. 15, as further 
justifying the application of the idea of creatureship 
to our Lord in reference to his headship. Though 
they have dealt so summarily with that portion 
of God's Word. I will in candor answer the questions 
they put to me. The first is, whether the quickening 
and life giving Spirit of God is a created existence? I 
answer decidedly, yes. The text under consideration I 
think gives the full authority so to answer. It says: 
"The last Adam was made a quickening Spirit." A 
quickening Spirit, I presume, they will admit must be 
a life giving spirit, and to be made is equivalent to be- 
ing created, as I before showed in reference to Ephes- 
ians ii. 10, that a creation in Christ Jesus implied a 
creation of them in him as a head, and therefore the 
creation of him as the Head of that life they derive from 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 117 

him. I may still appeal to that text as confirming the 
truth of my answer: seeing they did not attempt to 
show that my conclusions from it were wrong, only by 
saying they did not exactly accord with their views. But 
notice. I am aware of the drift of their questions, and 
lam not going to be led by it, to say the essential Holy 
Ghost is a creature. He is a God. But I know of no 
authority in the Scriptures to believe that it is his provi- 
dence to quicken or first regenerate dead sinners; al- 
though the idea that it is, has been so prevalent among 
us. * * * . They again ask, "If the Scriptures give 
any information of anything being created before the 
beginning" if they mean by it, the (beginning of time, as 
in Genesis i. 1, I say, yes; for in the beginning God 
created the heavens and the earth, Christ being the be- 
ginning of the creation of God, and the first born of 
every creature, must in this sense have been creat- 
ed or brought into existence before these, and therefore 
before time. * * * If God has declared in the works 
of creation, all things were created by the Son. Col. 1. 
16. But then God made the worlds by him, as Solomon 
made all the vessels for the temple through Hiram. * * 
* Thus you see that God acts through Christ or the 
Son as an agent." Once more from Elder Trott, as he 
is not all his time studying to know how to put out his 
tracks, or burning the bridges behind him to prevent 
pursuit. I love candor, honesty, and faithfulness, let 
it be found wherever it may. Eleventh. "Signs," VoL 
XVII., 10 : "Creation is a first bringing into existence, 
as if, as is evident, an existence in Christ was necessary 
to constitute him the head of his people as an existence 
in Adam was necessary to constitute him a head. Then 
they must have been created in him just so long ago as 
he has stood as their Head. * * * What is this being 
made a quickening spirit, but being made that spirit 
with which the children of God are' quickened spirit- 



118 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

nally? And if he was made, or which is the same, 
created as such, was not that quickening spirit which 
is the new man, the new creature, in his people then 
created in him? And when I reflect that the term 
creation and being begotten and born, are in the Scrip- 
tures applied both to the Head and to the members, I 
must believe that it is an existence produced of God in 
Head and communicated to the members. * * * Ac- 
cording to this, then, Christ as your life is a creature. 
So the Scriptures uniformity represent him as the Head 
of the church, as the Christ, as sustaining a dependent 
relation. * * * And he expressly declares himself to 
be the beginning of the creation of God. Rev. iii. 14. 
If so, he was the first created." 

But for those that are determined not to believe 
there would be no necessity for the dim shining of (bor- 
rowed lights to see Elder Trott's position in the two 
above extracts taken from his own pen, and this day 
read before your association, from the Signs of the 
Times as therein specified. His position is clear, that 
Christ was created before time, and at the same period 
the church or elect was actually created in him. The 
life giving Spirit is also a created existence. It is not 
the province of the Holy Ghost to quicken or regener- 
ate dead sinners, and strange to say that this created 
Christ was made the creator of all things, as an agent 
in the hands of God. 

Twelfth. According to promise, we mow return 
to give Elder T. P. Dudley, further notice by turning to 
"Signs," «Vol. XLIiII. No. 4, page 38, near the bottom of 
the first column: "I assert without fear of successful 
contradiction, that no evidence can be found in the word 
of God to sustain the notion that all, or any part of the 
Adamic man, is changed from natural to spiritual by the 
new birth." To show you, Brother Moderator, and 
brethren, all, that Elder Dudley is sustained by Elder 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 119 

Beebe, turn to page 46 in the same paper, and read a 
little short extract editorial : Elder T. P. Dudley's repu- 
tation of slanders which have been published in the 
Western Recorder, by an 'incog' assailant, in an able and 
complete reputation, and must tinge with a blush of 
shame the cowardly slanderer, if indeed his conscience is 
not seared with a hot iron. We fully endorse the able 
refutation, which we copy from the same paper through 
which we understand the slanders had been uttered." 
Listen at Elder Beebe's abusive language which is pecu- 
liar to his own selection, which I have already referred 
to. He, however, well knew that Elder Dudley had to 
be sustained. In the same paper and letter he says : "I 
find no authority in my Bible for dividing the man. The 
old man is an entire old man, and the new man is an 
entire new man,' which they make to be Christ's lineal 
descendant, that never sinned hence needed no redemp- 
'tion. But let Elder Dudley speak oh: "Your corres- 
pondent professes to quote from Elder Vanmeter, and 
assumes that he holds that some part of the old man is 
the subject of regeneration and the new birth, and that 
Elder Beebe does not dissent from the idea. I am fully 
satisfied that he does Elder Beebe injustice in this as- 
sumption." It would seem that Elder Dudley could not 
bear the idea of Elder Beebe being stigmatized by ac- 
knowledging that any part of the old man Adam is the 
subject of regeneration. But why need we multiply 
proofs on this? I will, however, refer you to the circu- 
lar letter of Licking Association, 1857, also 1853 ; But if 
more proof be necessary, I will cite you to the action of 
one of Elder Dudley's churches, in dismissing their mem- 
bers that believed the soul was born again in the new 
birth, as given by Elder Wm. Conrad, in his memoir, 
who is still a living witness in Kentucky, testifying 
aganst Elder Dudley's heretical doctrine, they were co- 
workers together in Kentucky, in their preaching and 



120 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

constituting churches, etc., until Elder Dudley departed 
from the faith by embracing the eternal, actual, vital, 
union theory. They then split as many of their churches 
did. But here is their certificate of dismission which we 
have referred to : "To any orderly Baptist church. Know 
ye that the bearer hereof, Brother Thomas M. Wallace, 
is a member with us, and has applied for a letter of 
dismission. We have no complaint against his moral con- 
duct, but for as much as he insists that the soul is regen- 
erated, and the church finding no authority in the word 
of God to sustain that idea, this certificate is given (out 
of our usual course) instead of a regular letter of dis- 
ission. Done by order of the church,'' etc. After this 
they acknowledge they had done wrong. They (we) 
should have required of them to sustain their doctrine, 
and on failing to do so be silent or exclude them from 
our society. Hence, brethren, you see our fate when 
they get the power. While reading the above certificate,' 
which you will find on page 318, don't forget to cast 
your eyes on the next page and notice a few extracts 
made by the author of the book from Licking Associa- 
tion in 1862, in their circular letter for that year which 
he sums up thus : "Experimental religion is the life of 
the soul, and life is begotten in the soul, and is called a 
sin sick soul; and that deep repentance possesses the 
soul and the soul is led to respect the ordinances of King 
Emmanuel." Such, dear brethren, was their faith in 
1826, but now they exclude (or give a certificate which 
is the same thing,) to their members for believing ident- 
ically the doctrine that the soul is the subject of the 
new birth, as they once did, and still those prelates affirm 
they have never changed in doctrine. Well, wonders 
never cease. Just here it might be as suitable as at any 
point, for me to say that I have been credibly informed 
that Elder has, or intends to republish the papers 
from which, in this, we have made extracts for the pur- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 121 

pose of quieting the minds of brethren that have taken 
exceptions. There are some things that are impossible 
to be done, and this is one, that is to reconcile the views 
expressed in the extracts we have made from the Signs, 
in this paper, with the doctrine of God our Saviour, and 
there are no Baptists that are willing to receive any- 
thing contrary thereto, however ambiguous covered up 
or mystified. 

Dear saints of God, be not deceived, God is not 
mocked. I have understood that some good brethren 
are jubilant, in hope that reconciliation may be brought 
about by his explanation. I would as soon think that 
the carnal mind could be reconciled to God, (which is 
enmity to God) by human reasoning as to believe that 
reconciliation could be brought about by anything that 
has been or can ibe said by any one. There is a way, and I 
know of but one, that is, for the advocates of these false 
doctrines, in honesty and faithfulness to God and His 
people, to make a full and hearty confession of their 
departure from the faith, and a forsaking thereof with 
true repentance. Then, (I think, I speak the mind of 
all the brotherhood, when I say), we would gladly re- 
ceive them, and hope for the better in the future, and 
forgive and forget the past. Such a state of things 
as this, would indeed make me feel jubilant and thank- 
ful to God. I know of no middle ground to occupy. We 
cannot give to them. If ever together again, they must 
come to us, and that acordling to the ancient land marks. 
The gospel admits of no compromises, and those servants 
to whom God has comitted the same must be faithful 
— keep it as pure and unsullied as it was given. May 
God in this preserve us. Mark what Jesus tells us: 
"Hie that is not for me is against me" and were we to 
seek an unlawful affiliation with those that had departed 
from the faith, we would not only render ourselves re- 
creant to God, His people and the trust committed to us, 



122 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

but we would prove ourselves unfaithful to those that we 
are commanded to reprove and rebuke, (and if necessary 
sharply or cuttingly as the word may be rendered), 
'That they may be sound in the faith." I will have to 
give Elder J. F. Johnson but a passing notice as my 
piece has already become prolix. I will refer you, how- 
ever, to "Signs," Vol. XLIIL, No. 11. In his reply to E. 
J. Williams inquiries relative to what is born again in 
new birth, Elder Johnson says : "I answer unequivoc- 
ally, That the Scriptures do not show that all or any 
part of the natural or Adam man is born of the Spirit 
of God." Lower down in the same letter he says, "Now 
I object to the expressions, changed by grace, as used by 
many in reference to the new birth and relative to 
any change in the nature of the natural man. Those 
expressions are no where used in the Scriptures, nor is 
a change spoken of at all, in that sense." Elder John- 
son is so plain and emphatic, no need of comment. All 
can see where he stands. Once more, and the last, from 
Elder T. P. Dudley: Fourteenth, "Baptist Watchman,' ; 
No. XIII. Vol. 10, reply to Big Harpeth church. He says, 
"The elect of God could not therefore be in the earthly- 
Adam, for the reason that he and his offspring are the 
creatures of time, and did not eternally exist." The 
committee says : "We believe that God's elect are sinner? 
of Adam's family." If election was of persons and eter- 
nally consummated; and sinners of Adam's family did 
not exist before time, I cannot conceive how they can be 
recognized as the elect of God. * * * I have proven 
negatively that sinners of Adam's family are not the 
elect of God. I now intend to prove positively that they 
are not. * * * I have already proven that the elect 
of God were not created in, and consequently did not 
sin or fall in Adam. * * * They assume the affirma- 
tion viz : That some part of the Adam man, or sinner is 
born again, but they have failed to give us Bible proof of 
their assertion. If the reader or hearer has kept in mind 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 123 

our charges, and the denial of the same, I think from 
the evidence brought to bear in the fourteen extracts to 
be found in this piece, from their own pen, that they will 
agree with me that they ought not to have been denied. 
Editor Zion's Advocate — Dear Brother: It was not 
my intention that this should appear in print until after 
the reading before the Tombigbee Association; but on 
reflection, knowing that many of the Buttahatchie mem- 
bers would not be at that meeting, and wishing to give 
them all the satisfaction we can, by giving reason, or 
evidences, as to be found in this paper for the course 
we have felt it our duty to pursue, we thought it best to 
forward, this for your consideration, and if published, I 
will kindly ask the Baptist Magazine and Regular Bap- 
tist Magazine to copy, or any paper that is friendly to 
truth triumphing over error, and my desire and prayer 
to God is, that he will give me evidence that my task is 
done, by granting me rest and quietude. Amen. 

R. B. Gunn. 

THE CATHOLIC PRIEST'S OATH. 

"I, * * *, now in the presence of Almighty God, the 
blessed Virgin Mary, the blessed Michael the Archangel, 
the blessed St. John the Baptist, the Holy Apostles, St. 
Peter and St. Paul, and the Saints and Sacred Host of 
Heaven, and to you my Lord, I do declare from my 
heart, without mental reservation, that the Pope is 
Christ's Vicar General, and is the true and only head 
of the Universal Church throughout the earth, and 
that by virtue of the keys of binding and loosing given 
to his Holiness by Jesus Christ, he has power to depose 
heretical Kings, Princes, States, Commonwealths, and 
Governments, all being illegal without his sacred con- 
firmation, and that they may be safely destroyed. There- 
fore to the utmost of my power, I will defend this doc- 
trine and his Holiness' rights and customs against all 
usurpers of the Protestant authority whatsoever, and 



124 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

especially against the now pretended authority and 
church in England and all adherents, in regard that 
they be usurped and heretical, opposing the Sacred 
Mother the church of Rome. I do denounce and dis- 
own any allegiance as due to any Protestant King, 
Prince, or State, or obedience to any of their inferior 
officers. I do further declare the doctrine of the church 
of England, of the Calvinists, Hugenots and other 
Protestants, to he damnable, and those to be damned 
who will not forsake the same. I do further declare 
that I will help, assist and advise all or any of his 
Holiness' agents in any place wherever I shall be, and 
to do my utmost to extirpate the protestant doctrine and 
to destroy all their pretended power, regal or other- 
wise. I do further promise and declare that not with- 
standing I may be permitted iby dispensation to assume 
any heretical religion (Protestant denominations) for 
the propagation of the mother church's interest, to keep 
secret and private all her agents' counsels as they en- 
trust me, and not to divulge, directly or indirectly, by 
word, writing or circumstance whatsoever, but to exe- 
cute all which shall be proposed given in charge or dis- 
covered unto me by you, my most Reverend Lord and 

Bishop. All of which I, , swear by the 

blessed Trinity and blessed sacrament which I am about 
to perform on my part to keep inviolably, and do call on 
all the Heavenly and Glorious Hosts of Heaven to wit- 
ness my real intentions to keep this my oath. In testi- 
ony whereof, I take this most holy and blessed sacra- 
ment of the Eucharist and witness the same further 
with my consecrated hand, and in the presence of my 
holy Bishop and all the priests who assist him in my 
ordination to the priesthood." 

Extract from the Jesuitical oath (and reader, re- 
member the Jesuits are here) . — "I do further promise 
and declare that I will when opportunity presents, make 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 125 

and wage relentless war, secretly or openly, against all 
heretics, Protestants and Liberals, as I am directed to 
do, to extirpate them from the face of the whole earth; 
and that I will spare neither age, sex nor condition, and 
that I will hang, burn, waste, boil, flay, strangle and 
bury alive these infamous heretics; rip up the stomachs 
and wombs of their women, and crush their infants' 
heads against the walls, in order to annihilate their 
execrable race. That when the same cannot be done 
openly, I will secretly use the poisonous cup, the strangu- 
lating chord, the steel of the poniard, or the leaden 
bullets, regardless of the honor, rank, dignity or authori- 
ty of the person or persons, whatever may be their con- 
dition of life, either public or private, as I, at any time, 
may be directed so to do, by any agent of the Pope, or 
superior of the brotherhood of the Holy Father of the 
Society of Jesus. In confirmation of which, I hereby 
dedicate my life, my soul and all corporeal powers, and 
with this dagger which I now receive, I will subscribe 
my name, written in my blood, in testimony thereof; 
and should I prove false or weaken in my determination 
may my brethren and fellow soldiers of the militia of 
the Pope cut off my hands and my feet, and my throat 
from ear to ear, with all punishment that can be inflict- 
ed upon me on earth, and my soul to be tortured by 
demons in an eternal hell forever. All of which I, .... 
. . . . , do swear by the blessed Trinity, and blessed sacra- 
ment which I am now to receive* to perform, and on 
my part to keep inviolable ; and do call all the Heavenly 
and Glorious Host of Heaven to witness my real in- 
tention to keep this my oath. In testimony hereof, I 
take this most holy and blessed Sacrament of the 
Eucharist, and witness the same further; with name 
written with the point of this dagger, dipped in my 
blood, and seal in the face of this holy covenant." 



126 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

TOTAL DEPRAVITY. 

"And you hath He quickened, who were dead in 
trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked 
according to the course of this world, according to the 
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now work- 
eth in the children of disobedience: Among whom also 
we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts 
of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of 
the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath 
even as others." — Ephesians ii. 1-5. What would the 
Apostle Paul have thought if he had heard preachers 
teaching that children become sinners by practice, born 
into the world pure and holy and then become sinners 
by practice? Whereas he says, "Children of wrath by 
nature," which means born into the world sinners. 
"Behold I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my 
mother conceive me." — Psalms li. 5. Yes says one, "It 
was his mother that sinned. His mother had nothing 
to do in shaping him; he was shaped in iniquity." 1st 
Cor. vi. 11. Epih. iv. 22. Col. i. 21; iii. 7. 1st John v. 19. 
Eph. vi. 12; v. 6. Col. iii. 6. Titus iii. 3. 1st Pet. iv. 3. 
Gal. v. 16. "Howbeit that was not first which is spirit- 
ual, but that which is natural ; and afterward that which 
is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the 
second man is the Lord from heaven." 1st Cor. xv. 46- 
48. The above is enough to prove that we are sinners 
before we begin to practice it. If the child is born pure 
and holy, it would have to fall before it could be re- 
generated. This would teach apostasy and cause God 
to go back on His word, "What He doeth it is done 
forever." The child fell, but the fall was in Adam. 

INFANT SALVATION. 

1. Is the infant that dies in its infancy saved? 
Yes. 2. Is the infant changed before death? Yes. 3. Is 
the infant saved by the gospel? No. 4. Is the infant 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 127 

saved like the adult? Yes. 5. How are the infant and 
adult saved? By grace. 6. What is grace? Unmerited 
favor. The very fact that the Saviour took little chil- 
dren in His arms and blessed them, is enough to prove 
that they needed a blessing, and needing a blessing 
proves they were not holy. The example necessarily 
proves that the less is always blessed by the greater. 

Jesus said, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven 
and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the 
wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 
Even so Father : for so it seemed good in thy sight." — 
Matt, xi. 25-26. It is evident that it is salvation that 
is revealed to babes in the above text. It cannot be 
wisdom; for the wise have wisdom. It can not be 
prudence; for the prudent have prudence. It is salva- 
tion, and they get it by revelation. "And when the 
chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that 
He did, and the children crying in the temple, and 
saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore 
displeased, and said unto Him, Hearest thou what these 
say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never 
read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou 
hast perfected praise?"— Matt. xxi. 15-16. "Suffer the 
little, children to come unto me, .and forbid them not: 
for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto 
you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God 
as a little child, he shall not enter therein." — -Mark x. 
14-15. I challenge the world to speak of heaven and 
not speak of little children. The above tells us that 
God has perfect praise out of the babe's mouth. Jesus 
said, "Suffer them to come unto Him; for of such is 
the kingdom of God," and that they go into this king- 
dom just like the adult goes into it, teaching us that 
adult and little child both go into the spiritual kingdom 
just alike. Who would claim or have the audacity here 
to dispute with the Saviour as to this kingdom and 



128 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

this regeneration or revelation and praise out of the 
mouth of the babes in order to set up some petty theory 
of man that he must do so and so in order to salvation, 
and the little child who cannot do and yet must do in 
order to carry out the principle of the gospel and be- 
cause of its incompetency and depravity must be lost 
forever? Can any man or child not see that if the 
infant and adult are both saved just alike, that what- 
soever it is that saves the one, saves the other? If it 
is the gospel that saves the man, then the little child 
that cannot obey the gospel is lost for the want of 
ability. 

The truth is both are lost until grace makes its 
choice. I view a mother over in China whose little babe 
dies and goes to heaven as every body believes ; but the 
mother who never heard the gospel dies and goes to hell 
.and there endures fiery domains of an endless region 
forever and ever because some one failed to reach her 
with the gospel. She never heard the gospel, neither 
did her precious babe; but God saved the little babe 
and could not save her. consistency thou art a jewel! 
But whose doctrine is this? Is it the doctrine of God our 
Saviour that His arm is short in China and cannot 
save? God is the same God all the world over, and 
says His spirit reaches all things, yea, the deep things 
of God. The Apostle Paul tells us "We shall not all 
sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in 
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump." If God can 
change us in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at 
the last trump, or in the resurrection, He can change 
the little babe in death, in a moment, in the twinkling 
of an eye and I am glad I believe in this God. 

SALVATION OF THE HEATHEN. 

Questions. — 1. Who are the heathens? 2. Can the 
heathens be saved now without the gospel? 3. How 
are the heathens saved? 4. Is not the preacher and 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 129 

the Bible all the means now to save with? 5. Can God 
bear witness now with our spirit only through the 
Bible? 

Answers. — 1. A heathen is any one who has never 
been born again. If all the people here in this country 
have not .been saved, it is because of the insufficiency 
of the gospel or the inability of the man who preaches 
gospel to reach the heathen with his theory. We all 
agree there are people here who are not saved. What 
is the matter? Why do we not save our home people 
first? They ought to be dearer to us than those far 
away. Maybe the fault is in us. If it is in us here 
would the same fault not be in us there? 

2. "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, 
do by nature the things contained in the law, these, 
having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which 
shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their 
conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the 
meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another." 
Rom. ii. 14-15. Yes, according to the aibove text. This 
is the law of regeneration. (See two covenants). "Be 
net thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our 
Lord, nor of me his prisoner : but be thou partaker of 
the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of 
God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy 
calling; not according to our works, but according to 
his own purpose and grace which was given us in 
Christ before the world began, but is now made mani- 
fest by the appearing of oun Saviour Jesus Christ, who 
hath abolished death, and hath brought life and im- 
mortality to light through the gospel : whereimto I am 
appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a tencher 
of the Gentiles."— 2nd Tim. i. 8-12. There is no in- 
strumentality used in the last two citations; but, says 
one, the gospel was used, yes, but it plainly tells us that 
the Saviour brought the life and immortality and that 



130 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

the Gentiles had the law written in their hearts with- 
out the gospel and when the gospel comes, it only tells 
us that the life is in Jesus Christ; for "This is the 
stone which was set at naught of you builders, which 
is become the head of the corner. Neither is there 
salvation in any other: for there is none other name 
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be 
saved." — Acts iv. 11-13. "One Lord, one faith, and one 
baptism." Then the infant must have the one faith, 
the heathen the one faith, and we must have the same 
one faith. The baptism here is spiritual, because Acts 
iv. 11-13 tells us there is but one name that eternal life 
comes through. John said, "After this T beheld, and, 
lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all 
nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues stood 
before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with 
white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with 
a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth 
upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." "These are they 
which came out of great tribulation, and have washed 
their robes and made them white in the blood of the 
Lamb." — Rev. vii. 9-14. It does look like the above is 
enough to prove that there have been people saved 
without the gospel; and if they have been saved with- 
out it, they can yet be saved without it, as John saw 
them out of every nation in the final consummation 
praising God. 

3. The first proof text in number two answers 
number three. 

4. No, God's Spirit according to the New Covenant 
(Jeremiah xxxi. 34, and Hebrews viii. 11), goes where 
the minister cannot go. 

5. Yes, His Spirit bears witness with our Spirit, 
that we are the children of God. — Rom. viii. 16. "For 
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the 
sons of God." — Rom. viii. 14. "If ye know that he is 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 131 

righteous, ye know that everyone that doeth righteous- 
ness is born of him." — John ii.^29. I heard a preacher 
say that the Bible was the only means through which 
God bears witness with our spirit. I thought, what 
would become of the little child dying without a Bible 
and of the poor heathens, who had no Bible; and yet 
I pity fhe poor preacher who fails to get to them with 
the Bible, if their destiny depends upon him. We might 
say with them that thousands are going to torment 
every year for the lack of this means reaching them; 
but it appears to me that the punishment will fall on 
the man who has the means, and fails on his part to 
get there with them, as Ezekiel says, "When I say unto 
the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him 
not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from 
his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man 
shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at 
thine hand." — Ezekiel iii. 18. If I can see straight, 
this certainly throws the reflection on the man claim- 
ing to save the soul with the ministry, and not on the 
heathens dying and being lost without the gospel, and 
I do not see why the ministers do not reverse the 
damnation, and throw it on the right party, and let 
the proper party suffer for the loss of the heathens, as 
the Bible places it on them, and not throw it off on 
the poor heathens, as they are not to blame, accord- 
ing to the modern teaching. 

THE BABE IN CHRIST OR 

Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost. 
"Which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Col. 
i. 27. To regenerate means to renew ; to be born again. 
Before a person can be regenerated, he must first be 
generated. This brings up the question, "Does one in 
regeneration get back just what Adam lost in the 
garden of Paradise?" In regeneration we get back 



132 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

double what Adam lost. We gain Heaven, or Paradise, 
and Christ, Christ and the Church, and will gain the 
Resurrection or glorified body, and eternal happiness. 
As Jacob paid double for Rachel, so Christ paid double 
for His Bride, the church. The elect or chosen in Adam 
lost the world and gained heaven, they lost mortality 
and gained immortality. "Speak ye comfortably to 
Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is ac- 
complished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she 
hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her 
sins." — Isaiah xl. 2. In Col. i. 27, the Apostle refers 
to a mystery, "Which hath been hid from ages and 
from generations, but now is made manifest to his 
saints:" and concludes this mystery by saying "Which 
is Christ in you, the hope of glory." I am sure that 
every one that has an experience says, "It is a mystery ;" 
at least I speak for myself; my cross has been such 
that I sometimes doubt my own experience, feeling to be 
a poor little saint, if I am one, hardly knowing whether 
I am one or not. When we begin to wonder, then these 
words come to our mind, "Lord, to whom shall we 
go?" "Thou hast the words of eternal life." "To 
whom God would make known what is the riches of the 
glory of this mystery among the Gentiles." I am a Gen- 
tile, and as this mystery has been made known to me 
as a mystery and the riches of His grace, which is 
Christ in me the hope of glory, I "Rejoice in the hope 
of the glory of God; and not. only so, but we glory in 
tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh pa- 
tience and patience experience, and experience hope, 
and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God 
is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which 
is given with us." 

These are some of the sweetest scriptures to my 
poor soul that I ever read. Jesus, for the joy that 
was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 133 

shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne 
of God. "For all things are for your sakes, that the 
abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of 
many redound to the glory of God. For which cause 
we faint not; but though our outward mar perish, yet 
the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light 
affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us 
a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; while 
we look not at the things which are seen, but at the 
things which are not seen; for the things which are 
seen are temporal, but things which are not seen are 
eternal." If Jesus was true in enduring the cross 
for the glory that was set before him and Paul was 
telling an experience when he said, "Most gladly, there- 
fore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the 
power of Christ rest upon me." "Therefore I take 
pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in 
persecutions, in distress for Christ's sake; for when I 
am weak then am I strong." In ancient times they used a 
flail to beat out the wheat from the chaff. God suffers 
trouble in many ways to come to us, but overrules it 
with good to us in a way that it draws us nearer 
to Him in grace, working an experience unknown to us 
until it is accomplished; then we understand why He 
used tribulation to separate the wheat and chaff. He 
says. "Let patience have her perfect work." How does 
patience come? It comes through tribulation. What is 
tribulation? Trouble. What does patience bring? Ex- 
perience. What does experience bring? Hope. And 
what is hope? It is a desire for something in the fu- 
ture with the expectation of receiving it, and the Apostle 
says, "We are saved by hope." Hope comes by ex- 
perience, experience by patience, patience by tribula- 
tion, and tribulation by the troubles and afflictions of 
life. Now, if I would glory, let me, glory in the cross 
of Christ, knowing this works my experience and that 



134 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

my affliction is light, which is but for a moment, work- 
ing for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of 
glory. "For we are his workmanship created in Christ 
Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained 
that we should walk in them." Then if Christ bore 
our sins in His own body, He suffered every pain and 
trouble we have, and the Apostle tells us, "If we suffer 
with Him, we shall also be glorified together with Him/' 
"The wind bloweth where it listeth," i. e., where it 
pleases, "and ye hear the sound thereof, but cannot 
tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth : so is every- 
one that is born of the Spirit." Sometimes the wind 
.comes with such violent force that it blows cars off the 
track, tears trees up by the roots and sweeps houses 
away. Then at other times it blows so gently it is hard- 
ly perceptible. "So is every one that is born of the 
Spirit." As the earth receives blessings from above, so 
does the child of God. "As the earth receiveth snow and 
rain which cometh down from above to water the earth 
and make it bud and bring forth bread for the eater and 
seed for the sower, "So shall my word be that goeth 
forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me 
void; but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it 
shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it." As the 
earth cannot keep the snow and rain from falling on it, 
so the sinner cannot resist God: for He says, "His word 
shall prosper and accomplish His desire." Job said, 
"Thou hast caged me with bones, clothed me with skin 
and the visitations of thy Spirit hath preserved my life." 
Isaiah said, "What is man that thou hast made him a 
little lower than the angels, crowned him with glory 
and honor, given him power over the beast of the field, 
the fowls of the air, the fish in the sea and all things 
therein : that thou shouldst visit him every morning and 
try him every moment. David said, "Thy garden is of 
red wine. I the Lord do keep it and will water her every 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 135 

moment." "After this the kindness and love of God 
towards man appeared, not by works of righteousness 
which we have done; but by the washing- of regenera- 
tion and renewing of the Holy Ghost." "Being confi- 
dent of this very thing, that He which hath begun a 
good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus 
Christ." "There is a spirit in man and the inspiration 
of God giveth them understanding. All the above Scrip- 
tures teach us thai: God's Spirit is in the world today, 
alive, active and accomplishing His purpose, and "None 
can stay thy hand, or say what doest thou." "0, that my 
words were now written ! 0, that they were printed in 
a book ! That they were graven with an iron pen and 
lead in the rock forever : For I know that my redeemer 
liveth ; and that He shall stand at the latter day upon 
the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy 
this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God : whom I shall 
see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not 
another, though my reins be consumed within me." 
Job said, the visitations of God preserved his life. God 
said, His word- should not return unto Him void. The 
Apostle Paul concluded this mystery by saying, "Which 
is Christ in you, the hope of glory." May the good 
Lord bless these thoughts to the good of all who may 
read them is my prayer in the name of Christ. 

FEET WASHING. 

This ordinance as a church institution was set up 
by our Saviour, and was the last act bestowed on the 
Apostles by Him before the betrayal and crucifixion. 
It took place in Jerusalem, in the upper chamber of the 
same room where He and the Apostles ate the passover 
and took the communion. Then it did not take place 
six days before the passover at Bethany when the 
Saviour ate supper with Lazarus, Mary and Martha as 
some claim; for that supper was an entertainment, and 



136 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

the Saviour invited to it. Besides Bethany was 15 fur- 
longs (120 miles)) from Jerusalem and the passover 
supper was eaten in Jerusalem. "And supper being 
ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas 
Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him." "And when He 
had dipped the sop, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the 
son of Simon. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou 
doest, do quickly." He then having received the sop 
went immediately out: and it was night." — John xiii. 
2, 26, 27, 30. "Then entered Satan into Judas sur- 
named Iscariot, being of the member of the twelve. 
And he went his Way, and communed with the chief 
priests and captains, how he might betray Him unto 
them. And they were glad, iand covenanted to give 
him money." — Luke xxii. 3-6. John said, "Judas went 
immediately out having received the sop," wiiich proves 
that Judas ate the passover; but did not take the sacra- 
ment as he was out covenanting with the chief priests 
and captains. "Peter saith unto Him, Thou shalt never 
wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee 
not, thou hast no part with me." "Jesus saith unto him, 
he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but 
is clean every whit." — John xiii. 8-11. Here the Saviour 
refers to regeneration. "He that is clean every whit;" 
but needeth not save to wash his feet, needeth no more 
washing except to wash his feet. Abraham gave those 
angels, that came to warn Sodom and Gomorrah against 
sin, water and they washed their own feet. It was a 
custom in ancient times to wash their own feet because 
they wore sandals and their feet were exposed to the 
dust; but this did not give rise to feet-washing in the 
church. It is not a commandment; but it is an ordi- 
nance of the church as the Savour introduced it and 
practiced it in church service. If you were to take 
me and lodge and feed me and my horse all night, you 
would perform an act of benevolence and religion, per- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 137 

haps equal to washing my feet in church; but suppose 
you t^ll your child to go down to the pasture and put 
up the gap, and the child instead goes some where else 
and lays up a rail off of the fence, and comes back. You 
say, "Son, did you put up the gap?" The son says,-"ND, 
I saw a rail off 'down below, and laid it up. I thought 
that would do as well." How do you think you would 
feel toward your son? Could you bless him, or would 
you frown and correct him? If the; teacher gives the 
child a rule or an example worked out to go by, the 
child will get the answer to the problem if it goes by the 
rule; but if it does not work by the rule, it will miss 
the answer. Now, there are three results, or answers, 
to £set- washing. "Take my yoke upon you and learn 
of me, for I am meek and lowly and ye shall find rest." 
We get meekness, humanity and rest out of this text. 
"There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, 
the Word and the Holy Ghost : and these three are one. 
And there are three that bear witness in earth, the 
spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three 
agree in one." — 1st John v. 7-8. If the wine in the sacra- 
ment takes the place of the blood, the bread the place of 
Christ's body, the water must take the place of the 
Spirit in the -figure or metaphor. Now, we have the 
symbol complete of the three above, the Father, the 
Word and the Holy Ghost. Suppose we take the bread 
and wine and leave the water out, we haven't a com- 
plete trinity symbolized; therefore I claim that the 
water is just as. essential in the communion as the 
bread and wine; because the symbol is not complete 
without three in the metaphor to stand for the three 
that bear record in heaven. Then we learn He left 
three in the earth, the spirit, the water and the blood 
and as there are three ; n the trinity, there must also 
be a trinity in the symbol. Judas, not Iscariot, but a 
brother of James said to Jesus, "Lord, how is it that 



138 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

thou wilt manifest thyself unto us and not unto the 
world?" If you were going to leave your family, what 
wo"Id be the last thing you would do to get them to 
remember you, or you would want to do for them? 
Do you not think the last act of your life should have 
more love and remain the longest with them? Jesus 
said, "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do 
them." Now, let's sum up. We have found rest, we 
have found love, and we have found happiness to be 
the answer to "Feet Washing.' Who then would not be 
willing to practice it in the church to get this much 
out of it? St. Paul made feet-washing one of the 
qualifications of the widow before the church should 
support her. "Let not ia widow be taken into the number 
under threescore years old, having been the wife of 
one man, well reported of for good works ; if she have 
brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if 
she have washed the saints feet, if she have relieved 
the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every ogod 
work."— 1st Tim. iv. 9, 10. Here we see feet-washing 
classed with good works, and St. Paul, one of the pil- 
lars of the church making it a test to church support. 
All the apostles, Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, 
Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James, Lebbaeus and 
Simon subscribed to "Feet Washing" in John xxi. 24. 
"This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, 
and wrote these things: and we know that his testi- 
mony is true." His mother said, "Whatsoever the Mas- 
ter sayeth, do it." Jesus said, "Ye call me Master and 
Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your 
Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also 
ought to wash one another's feet." — John xiii. 13-14. 
Jesus has worked the problem for us and told us if 
we follow the example we will get the answer and that 
the answer is happiness. He also said, "Follow me;" 
"Fill the water pot to the brim." 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 139 

TWO BAPTISMS, SPIRITUAL AND WATER. 

"Know ye not that, so many of us as were bap- 
tized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into 
death : that like as Christ was raised up from the dead 
by the glory of the Father, even so we also should 
walk in newness of life. For, if we have been planted to- 
gether in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the 
likeness of his resurrection." — Rom. vi. 3-6. We find 
two baptisms spoken of in these Scriptures. The first 
by the Spirit and the second by the church. The first 
is spiritual because verse 3 says baptized into Jesus 
Christ. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one 
body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be 
bond or free ; and have all been made to drink into one 
Spirit." — 1st Cor. xii. 13. "For ye are all the children 
of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as 
have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond 
nor free, there is neither male nor female : for ye are all 
one in Chrfst Jesus." — Gal. iii. 26-29. "Jesus an- 
swered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be 
born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into 
the kingdom of God." — Jno. iii. 5. All the above Scrip- 
tures refer to spiritual baptism and not the least intima- 
tion of water baptism in them as the following exegesis 
will show. The introductory (therefore) in Rom. vi. 
4. meaning for this cause, being first spiritually bap- 
tized into Him, now we tare buried with Him in the 
water and planted in the likeness of His death ; but you 
must remember that this is only the likeness of His 
burial and resurrection and that this figure follows the 
regeneration or new birth and not in order to it. Now, 
if you drink material water when you are baptized, 
then you can say, 1st Cor. xii. 13, is water baptism ; if 
not, then let us agree with the apostle that is the Spirit 



140 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

that baptizes us into Christ. "For ye are all the chil- 
dren of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (For it is written 
the just shall live by faith.) ' For as many of you as 
have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." 
Putting Him on follows the baptism into Him. "There 
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor 
free, there is neither male nor female." How can any 
one call this water baptism? Do not all come up out of 
the water either male or female? I had just as soon 
undertake to prove sprinkling for baptism, as try to 
prove water baptism essential to eternal life, and I had 
rather quit preaching than try to prove either ; for both 
are erroneous. In John iii. 5, the Saviour is speaking 
about the new birth, and having no reference whatever 
to baptism in that text ; for He says in the next verse, 
"That Which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which 
is born of the Spirit is spirit." From the same render- 
ing, would you not conclude, that which is born of 
water is water? This is the Saviour's own inference 
from the birth of flesh and spirit. Now, every proof 
text in the Bible, referring to water baptism, refers to 
to the death, burial and resurrection of our Saviour, and 
as the Saviour never mentioned the burial of the body 
any where preceding the burial of the spirit, I cannot 
accept nor have such a doctrine. If John iii. 5, is ma- 
terial water, then the water in next chapter, John iv. 10, 
is also material, instead of living water as the Saviour 
calls it; "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is 
that saith to thee, Give me to drink ; thou wouldest have 
asked of Him, and He would have given thee living 
water: The water that I ishall give him shall be in 
him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." 
How can you harmonize these texts, both referring to 
the new birth, both using the same kind of water, and 
make one an eternal washing and the other living 
water, "In him a well of water springing up into ever- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 141 

lasting life?" The truth of the text is, they are both 
the same kind of water, and have reference to the 
quenching of the spiritual thirst; as natural water 
quenches the natural thirst, so spiritual water quenches 
spiritual thirst; for Jesus said, "He that drinketh of 
this water shall never thirst. If John iii. 5, is material 
water, then Ezekiel's waters "that issued from the sanc- 
tuary", Isaiah's invitation, "Ho every one that thirsteth, 
come ye to the waters ;" John's invitation, "Let him that 
is athirst, come ;" the Saviours invitation, "If any man 
thirst, let him come unto me and drink," will have to go 
to the creek and be plunged before they can drink j 
To be born again means to be born from above 
and not from below. There is only one way to get into 
Christ and that is to be created in Him, "For we are 
His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good 
works which God before hath ordained that we should 
walk in them." — Ephesians ii. 10. Now, if we were the 
preacher's workmanship, it would do to call John iii. 5, 
baptism ; but as we are Christ's workmanship, let's call 
John iii. 5, the new birth, and as baptism is a good 
work which we do; and follows the new creation as in- 
spiration tells us we are Christ's workmanship and 
that the new creation is always first. I understand 
Christ sets up His Kingdom in the hearts of His people. 
"Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, be- 
hold, the kingdom of God is within you." — Luke xvii. 
21. "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; 
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy 
Ghost." — Rom. xiv. 17. "The kingdom of God cometh 
not with observation." Baptism is with observation, 
"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, 
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." 
"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreign- 
ers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the 
household of God; and are built upon the foundation of 



142 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being 
the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly 
framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the 
Lord; in whom ye also are builded together for an 
habitation of God through the water." I know there 
will be many thousands who will read this and will shake 
their heads at it, saying, "No, no, no, a thousand times 
no;" but "through the Spirit"— Eph, ii. 19-22. If "are 
built" and "are builded" are in the active voice, then the 
Arminian is right; but if these verbs are in the pas- 
sive voice, then the doctrine of God our Saviour is 
right; that "are built" and "are builded" are passive 
showing that man is not a free agent or actor, but 
that some other power is the subject or actor and man 
is receptive and not active as the material of which 
this structure is built, not by the apostles, not by the 
prophets, not by the Sunday Schools, not by the theo- 
logical seminaries, neither by the gospel, if so, the 
Scripture failed to say so, but by "My Spirit" sayeth 
the Lord. "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, 
known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are 
manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ minis- 
tered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of 
the living God ; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables 
of the heart," "Who also hath made us able ministers 
of the new testament, not of the letter, but of the 
spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." 
—2nd Cor. iii. 2-7. 

How did you say we get into Christ? We don't get 
into Him. It is Christ that gets into us. "I in you, ye in 
me and I am in my Father." — John xiv. 20. It is Christ 
in you the hope of glory. "Know ye not that ye are the 
temple of the living God and that the Spirit of God 
dwelleth in you?" "Then I will sprinkle clean water 
upon you, and ye shall be clean, from all your nlthiness, 
and from all your idols, will I cleanse you."— Ezekiel 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 143 

xxxvi. 25. This is spiritual cleansing; for God never 
did baptize with water. "Baptism is not for the putting 
away of the filth of the flesh," and this text says', 
"Cleanse you from all your filthiness.' , This is meta- 
phorical and will not sustain sprinkling for baptism, 
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance 
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from all evil con- 
science, and our bodies washed with pure water." — Heb. 
x. 22. This text settles the question that it is the heart 
and not the head that is sprinkled and that it is the 
body that is baptized. "John answered, saying unto 
them all, I indeed baptize you with water."— Luke iii. 
16. The Greek preposition "en" from which with 
comes, means in. "I indeed baptize you in water," is 
the correct rendering. 

"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should 
be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under 
the cloud; and all passed through the sea; and were 
all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea ; and 
did &Y eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink 
thp pame spiritual drink; for they drank of that spirit- 
ual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was 
Christ." — 1st Cod. x. 1-5. If you were covered up in a 
smoke, the smoke would envelop you so that you would 
be immersed. The children of Israel never got a drop 
of water on them, unless they got it under their feet, 
for the Lord caused a mighty east wind to blow and roll 
the water back on each side as a great wall and they 
walked across on dry land. Because infants were bap- 
tized in this 600,000 people crossing the Red Sea, some 
imagine this is the ground for sprinkling infants; but 
you will remember there was no water in this, the water 
was removed, they were baptized in the cloud and in 
the sea, which makes it spiritual baptism, and immer- 
sion at that, as they were covered with the cloud, and the 
Lord performed the baptism. Sprinkling started with 



144 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Moses under the first covenant. "They continued not in 
my covenant and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 
He taketh away the first that He might establish the 
second." (See two covenants.) In the language of 
Solomon, "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come 
away." 

Water Baptism. — The seventh edition of Liddell 
and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon, published in 1883, 
unquestionably represents the latest and highest com- 
bined scholarship of Europe and America. This Lexi- 
con gives absolutely but one meaning of baptizo "to dip 
in or under water." 

If any one can show where the apostles ever poured 
water on, or the disciples ever sprinkled any one, then 
it is right to be a Pedobaptist, if it can not be shown, 
why not "Come out of her my people?" The Lord says, 
"Come," the prophet says, "Come," the apostle says, 
"Come," the bride .says, "Come," "If ye hear His voice, 
today is the day of salvation." 

The institution of baptism was set up by John the 
Baptist, under the new covenant for the answer of a 
good consciencE. Sprinkling was instituted by Moses 
for purifying under the covenant that was taken away. 
Christ said to John, "Suffer it to be so now, for thus it 
becometh us to fulfill all righteousness," making 'water 
baptism a righteous work. "And Jesus when He was 
baptized, went up straight way out o± the water; and 
lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and He saw the 
Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon 
him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my 
beloved son in whom I am well pleased." All three, the 
Father, the Son and Holy Ghost, were present to wit- 
ness the baptism of Jesus. The Son was baptized, the 
Father, was pleased, the Holy Spirit bore the message. 
The Trinity here ratified and approved immersion as 
the mode for baptism. "And they went down both into 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 145 

the water, both Philip and the eunuch ; and he baptized 
him. And when they were come up out of the water, 
the spirit of the Lord caught away Philip." — Acts viii. 
38. "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism 
into death : that like us Christ was raised up from the 
dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should 
walk in newness of life. — Rom. vi. 4. "Buried with 
him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him 
through the faith of the operation of God, who hath 
raised Him from the dead." — Col. ii. 12. "Then Peter 
said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of 
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of 
sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." 
— Acts ii. 38. "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, 
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the 
Son, and of the Holy Ghost."— Matthew xxviii. 19. "He 
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."— Mark 
xvi. 16. "Can any man forbid water, that these should 
not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost 
as well as we?" — Acts x. 47. "The like figure where- 
unto even baptism doth also now save us (not the put- 
ting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a 
good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of 
Jesus Christ." — 1st Peter iii. 21. 

The above Scriptures refer to water baptism and 
tell us what the baptism is for. If I were to tell you 
to write nine dollars on the blackboard, you would know 
I did not mean for you to pin the money upon the 
board; but would write the nine (9), meaning one 
unit repeated nine times, and the character ($) in front 
of it, showing that it was an expression standing for 
nine dollars, thus: $9. As a key gives the answer to 
a problem, Peter hrc 1 the keys to the kingdom given to 
him by the Saviour and he had a right to figure until 
he found the answer to baptism, and when he found it, 
he said it was the answer of a good conscience, not an 



146 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

evil or a bad conscience, to born it again; but the an- 
swer of a good conscience, and he called it a figure ; and 
Paul called it a burial and a likeness. Notice, the same 
thing that saved eight souls from the flood, destroyed 
everybody else. If the water saved Noah and his fam- 
ily, why did.it not save everybody else? Because the 
others were not righteous. Now it is plain, Noah and 
his family were righteous, therefore God saved them by 
water and destroyed the others by water because they 
were not righteous. Is it not plain, if you pour water 
on live vegetation, it develops the life; and if you pour 
it on dead grass, it only makes it decay faster. Now the 
ark was a figure of Christ and Noah and his family had 
to get into the ark before the water could save them, so 
the sinner must be in Christ first, this gives him a good 
conscience, and being in Christ, baptism gives him the 
answer to this good conscience; but how long did the 
water save Noah and family? Just while the deluge 
lasted. There is no intimation that the water of the 
flood saved them in eternity, so there is none that bap- 
tism eternally saves us. I see a child come in the room 
and say, "Mamma there is papa;" and the mother says, 
"No, that is papa's picture, his likeness ; it has all the 
characteristics of father, but it is only his picture 
standing for papa." 

You would think strange of a witness testifying in 
a case in one county and then go over into another 
county and testify differently on the same case. "For 
there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, 
the Word, and the Holy Ghost : and these three are one. 
And there are three that bear witness in earth, the 
spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three 
agree in one." — 1st John v. 7-8. Notice John did not say 
the three in earth were one, if he had said they were 
one, then I could agree th^f +>> o water was equal to the 
spirit; but John did not say that; he said they bear 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 147 

witness in earth. Bear witness; to the three in heaven. 
The spirit here bears witness to the Father, the water 
here bears witness to the Word or Christ, how? In 
bearing witness to the resurrection, and the blood here 
bears witness to the Holy Ghost. In other wordsi the 
Father elects, the Son redeems, and the Holy Ghost 
makes the application of the blood. The spirit, the 
water and the blood agree in one, i. e., they agree in 
each other's office, not to do each other's work; but 
agree with each other about the three above. If the 
office work of the water is to cleanse us from sin or 
remit sin, how could it agree with the blood in 1st John 
i. 7, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us 
from all sin."? « 

Now, when Ananias said, "Brother Saul arise and 
be baptized and wash away thy sins," he evidently 
meant in a figurative sense. Otherwise, we could not 
get an agreement with the water and the blood in one, 
bearing witness in earth. In all types, the ante-type 
must have existed first, else how could the type be 
made ? Then the type or figure is the only representa- 
tion of that which has already existed. Now take the 
character away from $9 and it stands thus: (9), you 
cannot call it nine dollars ; so you take Christ, the hope 
of glory out of us, and you take away the character that 
saves us, and baptism is a blank. As the character $ 
makes the figure (9) read nine dollars so the type 
makes the figure of the resurrection in the water. 

If you wanted to purchase a piece of land, you 
would first go to the record and examine the title; and 
if you found the title in Mr. A, you would know at once 
that the right to the land was not in the record. "He 
that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in 
nimself : he that believeth not God hath made him a 
liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave 
of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to 



148 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

us eternal life, and this life is in His Son." — 1st John v. 
10-11. As the land record tells us that the title to the 
land is in Mr. A; so the sacred record tells us that eter- 
nal life is in the Son. If it is not in the record it is 
not in the Bible; because the Bible is one written record 
of the Son, and the Bible tell us it is not in it. Now if 
eternal life is not in the written record, it is not in 
the Bible. If it is not in the Bible, it is not in the water. 
If it is not in the water, it is not in the preacher. If it- 
is not in the preacher, the world is deluded. The record 
tells us that it is in the Son. And the record further 
tells us that as many as were born of God, believe the 
Son, and as many as believe the Son, have the witness 
in themselves. The Son said, "Verily, verily, I say unto 
you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that 
sent me, hath everlasting" life, and shall not come into 
condemnation; but is passed from death into life." — 
John v. 24. 

The Greek translation of "and" is even. "Ye must 
be born of water and the Spirit," means, "Ye must be 
born of water even the Spirit," and makes the watei 
equal to the Spirit which evidently proves that it is not 
material water in this text, as the three that bear wit- 
ness in the earth are not equal, for they are not one. 
"Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised 
again for our justification." — Rom. iv. 25. I have intro- 
duced this text to show the meaning of for. The first 
"for" means because of, and the second "for" means in 
order to. "Repent and be baptized for the remission 
of sins." Christ was delivered "because of" our of- 
fenses, and was raised "in order to" our justification. 
"Repent and be baptized "because of remission of sins.' ' 
Let's see if we can harmonize baptism "in order to" re- 
mission of sins with the following: "Unto Him who 
loved us, and washed us from our sins, in His own 
blood."— Rev. i. 5. "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 149 

cleanseth us from all sin." — 1st John i. 7. ''Without shed- 
ding of blood is no remission."— Heb. ix. 22 "This is 
the covenant that I will make with them after those 
days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their 
hearts, and in their minds will I write them : And their 
sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now 
where x -missio 1 1 of these is, there is no more offering 
for sin." — Heb. x. 18. How can the rendering baptism 
"in order to" remission of sins, be harmonized with the 
above scriptures? Can "in order to" agree with them 
in meaning? When one view or meaning of a text is 
contradicted by so many other passages of scripture, we 
must lay that view down, because we cannot harmonize 
it. If the baptism remit the sin, then it can not agree 
with the blood cleansing us from all sin, neither can it 
bear witness with the Word in heaven which said, 
"Through His name whosoever believeth in him shall 
receive remission of sins." — Acts x. 43. "He that be- 
lieveth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." — 
John xi. 25. "For God so loved the world, that he gave 
his only begotton Son, that whosoever believeth in him 
should not perish, but have everlasting life." — John iii. 
16. "Repent and be baptized," looking back to what 
Christ has done for you, "because of" what He has done 
and not "in order to," what we are doing, because it 
was Christ that died to redeem us and rose again to 
justify us and the only one to forgive sins, as He said, 
"All power was given into His hands." A water salva- 
tion is ia "bed shorter than a man can stretch himself on 
it, and the cover narrower than that he can wrap him- 
self in it." The jailor and his household were not bap- 
tized in the house as some claim the scripture says, he 
"Brought them out * * * and took them the same hour 
of the night and washed their stripes ; and was baptized 
he and all his straightway." — Acts xvi. 30-33. Which 
evidently shows that he carried them to water to wash 



150 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

their stripes and the same hour he and his were bap- 
tized. Paul and Silas said, "We went out of the city by 
a river side/' "and spake unto the women whick re- 
sorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia," 
"whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto 
the things which were spoken of Paul," "was baptized," 
— Acts xvi. 14-15. The above scripture is enough to 
prove that Lydia, the jailor and their household were 
baptized in this river. 

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also 
loved the church, and gave himself for it." — Eph. v. 25. 
And gave himself "because of" it. "Take heed therefore 
unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over that which the 
Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church 
of God, which He hath purchased" (with baptism? No), 
but "with His own blood." — Acts lxxvii. 28. "Elect ac- 
cording to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through 
sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprink- 
ling of the Tblood of Jesus Christ." — 1st Peter i. 2. 

"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." 
— Mark xvi. 16. Baptism is a commandment of the new 
Testament and is used by the apostles in connection 
with belief not "in order to" life ; but "because of" life. 
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord 
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath 
raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." — Rom. 
x, 9. How can this text without baptism be harmonized 
with Mark xvi. 16, with baptism? The same salvation 
spoken of in one, is in the other ; one with baptism and 
the other without it. Paul had just told those Roman 
brethren, "The word is in thy mouth, and in thy heart: 
that is the word of faith, which we preach," showing 
regeneration had already taken place, as it had with 
those Pentecostians who were pricked or circumcised 
in their hearts before they cried, "What shall we do," 
and before Peter said, "Repent and be baptized." "He 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 151 

that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." — Mark 
xvi. 16. "Who hath saved us, and called us with an 
holy calling, not according to our works, but according 
to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in 
Christ Jesus before the world began." — 2nd Tim. i. 8. 
Here is a salvation in the future, expressed by the verb 
shall, which is a sign of the future tense, and a salva- 
tion in the past, which is expressed by hath saved, a 
verb in the past perfect tense. One has baptism in it 
and the other has no baptism. Now, do you not see 
that to get these two salvations together, you have to 
separate them? Because one is in the future tense and 
the other in the past tense. The one in Mark xvi. 16, 
is obtained by works and the one in 2nd Tim. i. 9, is ob- 
tained without works. Can anyone not see the salvation 
obtained by. works, is the time salvation, and the salva- 
tion obtained without works, is the eternal salvation, 
and that the time salvation follows the eternal salva- 
tion? Because the eternal is in the past and the time is 
in the future. He that believeth and is baptized, only 
evidences the fact that he had eternal life before he be- 
lieved. "He came unto his own, and his own received 
him not. But as many as received him, to them gave 
he power to become the sons of God, even to them that 
believed on his name: which were 'born, not of blood, 
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but 
of God." — John i. 11-13. As were born is a verb in the 
passive voice, let us bring the thirteenth verse first and 
see what makes them receive Him and believe on His 
name when they heard Him preached by the gospel. (1) 
As many as were born of God, He gave them power to 
receive Him. (2) As many as were not born of blood 
and the will of man, but to as many as were born of 
God, He gave them power to believe on His name. So 
it is in Mark xvi. 16, "He that believeth and is baptized 
shall be saved. " As many as were born of God received 



152 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Him and believed on His name ; so as many as believed 
and were baptized, were born of God before they be- 
lieved and were baptized. 

If ivere born is passive, then man is passive and not 
active in the new birth. If he is not active in the new 
birth, then he is not a free moral agent in the new 
birth. The man acts in belief and baptism; but it has 
already been shown that belief and baptism follows the 
new birth; for as many as were born of God, received 
and believed the Son. Then God is the subject or actor 
in the new birth, and man is receptive and objective, 
the receiver of, and beneficiary of this grace. Then 
belief is the product of faith, the effect of a cause, 
arcl is not equal to faith, faith being "the substance of 
things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen." 
Substance comes from the Latin, sub under, and stanto 
to stand, to stand under. Gods arm is under us. Faith 
then is the cause of our believing on the Son through 
the gospel. Peter said to the Pentecostians, "Save 
yourselves from this untoward generation." This sal- 
vation is in the future and so is that in the command, 
"Go preach the gospel," hence they are the same salva- 
tion, and only refer to time and not to eternity, as the 
salvation of Noah and his family was by water. "If ye 
know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that 
doeth righteousness is born of him." "For as many as 
are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God." 
"For His Spirit beareth witness with our spirit that 
we are the children of God." "For by grace are ye saved 
through faith, and that not of yourselves ; it is the gift 
of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast." As 
belief and baptism are of ourselves and our work, we 
know the salvation of the gospel is not the eternal sal- 
vation, but the time or common salvation. It is writ- 
ten, "The just shall live by faith." "He that believeth 
not shall be damned." — Mark xvi. 16. "He that believ- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 153 

eth is condemned already." — John iii. 18. Here is a 
damnation in the future and one in the past. The first 
follows the gospel, and the second is already or before 
the gospel. As the unbeliever is condemned already 
the gospel only manifests his condemnnation. "For 
every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither 
cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his 
deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in 
God." — John iii. 20-21. The apostle here proves that 
the gospel approves the deeds of a righteous man and 
reproves the deeds of a man who does not love the 
truth. Then our conclusion is that the gospel neither 
brings the life nor the condemnation; but manifests 
and reveals the life or condemnation that is present 
existing and brings it to light. Baptism is the door 
to the organic church, an outward symbol of an inward 
grace, "The answer of a good conscience toward God." 
"The gospel is the power of God unto salvation co every 
one that believeth." "For therein is the righteousness 
of God revealed from faith to faith : as it is written. The 
just shall live by faith." "Moreover brethren, I de- 
clare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, 
which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 
By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory 
what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in 
vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which 
I also received, how that Christ died for our sins ac- 
cording to the scriptures ; And that He was buried, and 
that He rose again the third day according to the scrip- 
tures." — 1st Cor. xv. 1-5. The manifestation of our 
salvation by the gospel. 

EZEKIEL XVIH. 20-28. 

"The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall 
not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the 
father bear the iniquity of the son : the righteousness of 



154 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness 
of the wicked shall be upon him. But i: the wicked 
will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and 
do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he 
shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath com- 
mitted, they shall not be mentioned unto him; in his 
righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I 
any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith 
the Lord God; and not that he should return from his 
ways and live? But when the righteous turneth away 
from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and 
doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked 
man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he 
hath done shall not be mentioned : in his trespass that he 
hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in 
them shall he die. Yet ye say, the way of the Lord is 
not equal. Hear now, house of Israel ; Is not my way 
equal? Are not your ways unequal? When a righteous 
man turneth away from his righteousness, and com- 
mitteth iniquity, and dieth in them : for his iniquity that 
he hath done shall he die. And again when the wicked 
man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath 
committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, 
he shall save his soul alive." 

With men eternal life is impossible; but with God 
it is possible. Natural blessings were all that were prom- 
ised under the first covenant for keeping the righteous- 
ness of the law which you will see by referring to the 
eleventh and twenty-eighth chapter of Deuteronomy, 
showing that it is the law given by Moses to govern 
national Israel. Under the law the penalty was, "Life 
for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, 
foot for foot," burning for burning, wound for wound 
and stripe for stripe. The word soul in this text does 
not refer to the spirit; but to the natural man: as, 
"Eight souls were saved by water." — 1st Peter iii. 20. 
Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 155 

wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." — 
Acts ii. 27. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood : 
and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an 
atonement for your souls : for it is the blood that maketh 
an atonement for the soul." — Lev. xvii. 11. We see in 
these Scriptures that the soul referred to means the 
entire person: 

First — That the eight persons were saved in the 
ark. 

Second. — That Christ's body was not left in the 
grave. 

Third. — That the blood maketh an atonement for 
the entire person. This last text also proves that the 
body will be saved. "The soul that sinneth shall die." 
We believe the spirit or immortality of man never dies, 
as it is indestructible and can only be destroyed by 
Him who gave it. What is it that dies? It is the 
carnality, the fleshly man with his carnal mind. 

Back to the law and the testimony. When Israel 
under the law did things worthy of death, corporal 
death was the penalty. A different death is mentioned 
in James v. 20, "Let him know, that he which con- 
verteth the* sinner from the error of his way shall save a 
soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sin." 
This is not eternal death; but death to the enjoyment 
he is dying to, which may be to the fellowship of the 
church. "Cast ye the unprofitable sarvant into outer 
darkness," not utter darkness; if utter, we would think 
he was eternally lost; but outer darkness, where "there 
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Besides, 
James says, "Brethren, if any of you do err," which 
conclusively shows it is a brother or a child of God 
under consideration, and needs the salvation of the 
gospel and discipline of the church applied, like a great 
many do now. The wicked referred to in Ezekiel xviii. 
21, 27 are the same wicked spoken of in Isaiah lv. 7, 
"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous 



156 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, 
and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for 
he will abundantly pardon." If you will notice the 
word return is used in Isaiah lv. 7, and also in Ezekiel 
xviii. 23. Now you could not return home if you had 
never been at home. "Return" means to go back to 
the. place where you had been. So we will conclude 
that both these wicked persons spoken of by Isaiah 
and Ezekiel were the children of God gone back to 
sin and unrighteousness, not fallen from grace; but 
who had once tasted of the goodness of God and who 
had been quickened by the Spirit, but who had turned 
away from righteousness to the love and pleasure of 
sin. It is no pleasure to God that any of His children 
die. Jesus dreaded the shame of death; but for the 
joy endured the cross. The Lord is "not willing that 
any" of his people "should perish, but that all should come 
to repentance." — 2nd Peter iii. 9. It is a pleasure 
to Him for them to die to sin. David said, "Precious 
in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." 
And we know that a saint first dies to sin. Corporal 
death is the wages of sin and this death all must die. 
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, 
and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, 
for that all have sinned." The son shall not die for 
the father's sin, nor the father die for the son's sin. 
Every one must appear before the judgement seat of 
Christ to "Receive the things done in his body, accord- 
ing to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 
The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him. 
John said, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord 
from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may 
rest from their labours; and their works do follow 
them." Their works live, on after them. "The wicked- 
ness of the wicked shall be upon him." It seems that 
the most lasting impressions that are made upon the 
living, are made by the last acts or deeds of the dead. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 157 

It is easier for a righteous man to sin than for an 
unregenerated man to do righteousness, because an un- 
regenerated person never has loved righteousness; hut 
a righteous man has loved sin. So if God's child that 
has been born, lives up to the righteousness of the 
Lord, he shall never die to any of its privileges or bless- 
ings which God holds in time for it. "His former trans- 
gression shall not be mentioned- In his righteousness 
he shall live," "For they that keep the law shall live by 
the law." It is the Lord's pleasure that all His children 
who go astray, return and live. If a man fall away 
from his righteousness, his righteousness shall not be 
mentioned." This is the man whose works were burred, 
He started on the right foundation, but built with hay, 
wood and stubble. He lost hi^ reward but he himself 
was saved as by fire. "Little children, let no man de- 
ceive you : he that doeth righteousness is righteous even 
as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the 
devil." "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit 
sin; for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, 
because he is born of God." — John iii. 7-10. This text 
emphatically teaches what it is that sins and what it 
is that does not sin. It is the spirit that is born of the 
Sprit. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh. And 
"that which is born of the spirit is Spirit." The seed 
that remains in us is Christ and Christ cannot sin, for 
in Him was no guile. It is the carnality that sins. "The 
spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." "With my mind 
I serve the law of God; but with my flesh the law of 
sin." — Rom. vii. 23. With many of the children of Israel 
God was not well pleased and cut them off. The apostle 
said, "Let us labour to enter into that rest, lest we fall 
after the same example of unbelief as the twenty and 
three thousand that fell in the wilderness." Yet we do 
not believe these were eternally lost, because thy all ate 
of that spiritual meat and drank of that spiritual rock 
that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But 



158 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

they died and were cut off from entering the promised 
land because of their sin and disobedience. "The soul 
that sinneth shall die." We believe it dies two deaths — 
dies to the fellowship of the church and also the natural 
death. Jesus said, "He that believeth in me, though he 
were dead, yet shall he live. He that liveth and believeth 
in me shall never die." "Fear not;" "For the Lord 
hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in 
spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou was refused, 
saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken 
thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a 
little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; 
but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, 
saith the Lord, thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters 
of Noah unto me : for as I have sworn that the waters 
of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I 
sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke 
thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be 
removed ; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, 
neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith 
the Lord that hath mercy on thee." "All thy children 
shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the 
peace of thy children." "No weapon that is formed 
against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall 
rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This 
is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their 
righteousness is of me saith the Lord." "As the mount- 
ains are round about Jerusalem, so is the Lord round 
about His people." "For I will be unto her a wall 
of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst 
of her. For thou art a garden of red wine." "I the 
Lord do keep it; and will water her every moment:" 
"My sheep hear my voice ; I give unto them eternal life, 
and they shall never perish." "For I am persuaded 
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principal- 
ities, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 159 

creature shall be able to separate us from the love of 
God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

This is the doctrine that feeds my poor soul and 
makes me happy when I get on this theme. I believed 
'it as far back as I can remember bearing it. Jesus 
is better than a brother, and sticketh closer than, a 
moths r. A mother has been known to take her boy by 
the arm and go with him upon the scaffold of execu- 
tion, and when all others had forsaken him, and just 
before the pall of death was spread over his face she 
would fall upon bar knees and plead, "Lord Jesus, when 
thou coemst into thy kingdom in the plentitude of thy 
mercy, remember my poor boy." Then the evidence of a 
mother's tenders crae comes in her fond recollection. Will 
a mother forget her nursing child, "That she should not 
have compassion on the son of her womb." The blessed 
Saviour says she may; "Yet I will not forget thee" 
nor leave thee. "I have graven thee upon the palms 
of my hands. Thy walls are continually before me." 
Young man or young woman, who may by chance read 
this, when you are in the evening of life, remember that 
perhaps sixty or eighty years ago, the prayer of your 
mother was, "When thou comest into thy kingdom 
Lord, remember my darling little babe." No doubt this 
has been the sentiment and prayer of every faithful 
mother. 

The Seven Attributes of God: 

First.— Self-existence. Second. — Eternity. Third. 
— Immutability. Fourth. — Omniscience. Fifth. — 

Omnipresence. Sixth. — Omnipotence. Sixth. — Unity. 

They are called attributes because they cannot be 
ascribed to any other being. They are denned by Web- 
ster as qualities peculiar to God, and are called in the 
scriptures, seven pillars and seven Spirits of God. 
"Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her 
seven pillars." The seven pillars or attributes are the 
foundation upon which the church or building rests. 



160 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

These pillars being permanent it makes the building 
both sure and secure. Human beings chosen out of 
Adam's race are the material that compose the buildr 
ing. "In whom ye are also builded together for an 
habitation of God through the Spirit." "And in the 
mi'dst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain, 
having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the 
Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." You will 
observe that most all religious creeds acknowledge the 
eternal perfections of God. Plato says that "There is 
one God, eternal, immutable and immaterial, perfect in 
wisdom and goodness; omniscient and omnipresent." 
Some among all religious creeds acknowledge the seven 
spirits. If a child never sees its father, its mother 
teaches it who its father was; "Wisdom is justified of 
her children." 

Primitive Baptists believe this wisdom is that holy 
city, New Jerusalem, John saw (Rev. xxi. 2) "Coming 
down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride 
adorned for her husband." Which is the mother of us 
all. They believe this is the teacher referred to by the 
prophet: "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord; 
and great shall be the peace of thy children." Isaiah 
liv. 13. (1) Begotten by the Father, (2) quickened 
by the Son, (3) taught by the mother; (1) drawn by 
the Father. (2) redeemed by the Son, (3) made known 
by the Holy Spirit which mean the same thing. Wisdom 
the mother of us all, embraces! the seven pillars, and the 
seven pillars mean the same as the seven spirits, and 
the seven spirits the same as the seven attributes, arid 
the seven atributes the same as God. So it is God all 
in all. As there are seven attributes of God, so there 
are a great many things that go by sevens in the sacred 
word as follows : 

(1) Seven days in creation, (2) seven in the con- 
stitution of the first Gentile church, (3) seven colors 
in the rainbow, (4) Naam'an dipped seven times in 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 161 

Jordan, (5) At seven sounds of the trumpet Jericho 
fell, (6) seven years of plenty, (7) seven locks of 
Sampson's hair. Christ possessed all the seven at- 
tributes of God, and as Sampson's strength lay in his 
hair, so did Christ's power lie in the seven attributes. 
As the enemies could not take Sampson until his hair 
was cut off and taken, so the enemies of Christ could 
not take him until the Father had withdrawn His power 
or the seven attributes. Just before death Jesus cried 
with a loud voice, while on the cross, "Father, why hast 
thou forsaken me?" This was done that he might 
demonstrate to the world that God was in Him, that He 
fulfilled the prophecy, "He trod the winepress alone," 
and that He had the power to carry out His word in 
life and in death, "I have power to lay" my life "down 
and I have power to take it again." "Before the mount- 
ains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the 
earth and the ' world, even from 1 everlasting to everlast- 
ing, thou art God." — Ps. xc. 2. 

Self -existence and eternity are closely connected. 
"Without controversy, great is the mystery of godli- 
ness." The finite mind cannot comprehend how it is 
that God is self-existent and eternal. By self-existence 
is meant that the cause of his existence is in himself. 
He existed from everlasting without beginning and 
will exist to everlasting without end. His eternity fills 
all duration. Immutability — an attribute of God, the 
quality of being unchangeable. "I am the Lord, I 
change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not con- 
sumied." — Mai. iii. 6. "With whom there is no variable- 
ness, neither shadow of turning." — Jas. i. 17. His 
omniscience is clearly taught in the following : "Known 
unto God are all His works from the beginning of the 
world." "My substance was not hid from thee when I 
was made in secret and curiously wrought in the low- 
est parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my sub- 
stance, yet 'being imperfect', and in thy book all my 



162 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

members were written, which, in continuance were 
fashioned, when as yet, there was none of them." — 
Psa. cxxxix. 15-16. "0 Lord thou hast searched me and 
known me. Thou knowest my down-sitting and my up- 
rising; thou understandest my thought afar off; thou 
compasseth my path and my lying down and art ac- 
quainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in 
my tongue but lo! Oh Lord, thou knowest it alto- 
gether." "The darkness hideth not from thee, but the 
night shineth as the day." "The ways of man are be- 
fore the eyes of the Lord, and He pondereth all his go- 
ings." "He searchest . their hearts, and understandeth 
every imagination of their thoughts." The foregoing 
clearly shows the infinite wisdom of an all-wise God. 
Omnipresence- — His omnipresence fills immensity, 
as His eternity fills duration. He is unlimited in all his 
attributes. There is no space but that He occupies, as 
the following Scriptures will show. "Whither shall I 
go from thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee from thy 
presence ? If I ascend up to heaven, thou art there : if 
I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there. If I take 
the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost 
parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and 
thy right hand shall hold me." "Behold the heaven of 
heavens cannot contain thee." In Him we live and have 
our being. He filleth all things. His omnipotence de- 
notes his unlimited power to do anjihing that does not 
involve a contradiction of His word. "The heavens de- 
clare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his 
handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech and night 
unto night sheweth knowledge." He "Spreadeth out the 
heavens and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. He 
maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers 
of the south." He doeth great things, past finding out; 
yea and wonders without number. "He stretcheth out 
the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth 
on nothing. He bindeth up the waters in his thick 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 163 

clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them." "He hath 
compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and 
night come to an end." "By Him all things consist." 
He breaks up for the sea a "decreed place, and sets 
bars and doors, and said Hitherto shalt thou come and 
no further : and here shall thy proud waves be stayed." 
"He looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under 
the whole heavens," to make "A decree for the rain, 
and a way for the lightning of the thunder." "Who 
hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and 
meted out heaven with the span ; and comprehended the 
dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the moun- 
tains in scales, and the hills in a balance." The pillars 
of heaven tremble and are astonished at His reproofs, 
he divideth the sea by His power. Hie "Removetii the 
mountains, and they know it not, which overturneth 
them in his anger. Which shaketh the earth out of her 
place, and pillars there of tremble. Which commandeth 
the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars." 
"It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth and the 
inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers;" "As the 
small dust of the balance," "less than nothing and van- 
ity." He "Bringeth princes to nothing." "He putteth 
down one and setteth up another." "For the kingdom 
is the Lord's and he is the governor among the nations." 
All power in heaven and in earth is in His hand." the 
depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge 
of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his 
ways past finding out ! For who hath known the mind 
of the Lord, or who hath been His counsellor? or who 
hath first given to him," and it shall be recompensed 
unto him again? "Such knowledge is too wonderful for 
me ; it is high, I can not attain unto it." 

Unity.— By this attribute is meant the oneness of 
the Trinity, the three persons are one in purpose, plan, 
and agreement, but distinct in office work, one in sub- 
stance. The first article in the church of England 



164 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

clearly sets forth this unity : "There is a Trinity in unity, 
and in the unity of the Godhead. There be three persons 
of one substance, power and unity, the Father, Son and 
Holy Ghost.' The three persons are distinct in office- 
work, the church being represented as a building, the 
Father elect the material for the building. Proof. — . 
"Elect according to the foreknowledge of God, the 
Father, through sanctifi-cation of the Spirit, unto obe- 
dience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:" 
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to 
be conformed to the image of his Son." "But we are 
bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, 
beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the begin- 
ning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the 
Spirk and belief of the truth." "According as He hath 
chosen us in him 'before the foundation of the world, that 
we should be holy and without blame before him in 
love:" "Blessed is the man wlhom thou choosest and 
cause st to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy 
courts." 

The Son, the second person in the Trinity, redeems 
or purchases the material in the building, and the re- 
demption price paid was His blood, without the aid or 
help of man. Proof: "I looked and there was none 
to help ; and I wondered that there was none to uphold ; 
therefore mine own iarm brought salvation unto me ; and 
my fury it upheld me." "Give us help from trouble: for 
vain is the help of man." "Cursed be the man who trust- 
eth in man, and maketh flesh his arm." "For by one 
offering he hath perfected forever them that 'are sancti- 
fied." He hath redeemed them from the vain conversa- 
tion of the fathers. He hath redeemed them from the 
law. He hath redeemed them from the curse of the law. 
He hath redeemed them from all iniquity. He hath re- 
deemed them without money. He hath redeemed them 
to God. Here is the good part of it. He has redeemed 
them to God, not a part of the way and left them to go 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 165 

the balance of the way by themselves ; but all the way 
to God. 

There is one thing we will do in heaven that we do 
here, and that is to sing. "And they sung a new song, 
saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open 
the seals thereof : for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed 
us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, 
and people, and nation." — Rev. v. 9. We all once were 
like the servant, ten thousand talents in debt. "But for- 
asmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him 
to be sold and his wife and children, and all that he 
had and payment to be made." The servant woirshipped 
him, "Then the lord of that servant was moved with 
compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt." 
— Matt, xviii. 23-28. Some quote it "nothing to pay 
ivith." With isn't there. With carries the idea you 
could pay it out. We being ten thousand talents in debt 
in sin and nothing to pay, is the rendering of the parable. 
Why? Because Christ hath forever perfected them, re- 
deemed them by His blood without money and without 
price, redeemed them from the curse, redeemed them 
from all iniquity, redeemed them all the way to Him. 
This is why we have nothnig to pay. Jesus paid it for 
us, assumed the debt and paid it with His precious blood, 
as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot. Oh, if 
the gospel, the glad tidings of the truth could be 
preached over the world, instead of the false God that 
is preached ! — Lytle Burns and J. F. Robinson. 

DREAMS. 

1. "The angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a 
dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to 
take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is con- 
ceived in her is of the Holy Ghost." Then Joseph being 
raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden 
him, and took unto him his wife." — Matt. i. 20, 24. 

.2. "And being warned of God in a dream that they 



166 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

should not return to Herod, they departed into their 
own country another way."— Matt. ii. 12. 

3. "And when they were departed, behold, the 
angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, say- 
ing, Arise, and take the young child, and his mother, and 
flee into Egypt, -and be thou there until I bring thee 
word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy 
him."— Matt. ii. 13. 

4. "But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of 
the Lord appeareth in a drsam to Joseph in. Egypt, Say- 
ing, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and 
go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which 
sought the young child's life." — Matt. ii. 19. 

5. "And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to 
his brethren.' "For, behold, we were binding sheaves in 
the field, and lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; 
and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made 
obeisance to my sheaf.' 

6. "And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it 
to his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a 
dream more ; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the 
eleven stars made obeisance to me." — Gen. xxxvii. 5, 9. 

7. "And they dreamed a dream both of them, each 
man his dream in one night, each man according to the 
interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of 
the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison." — 
Gen. xl. 5. 

8. "And it came to pass at the end of two full 
years, that Pharaoh dreamed : and, bshold, he stood by 
the river. And, behold, there came up out of the river 
seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in 
a meadow. And, behold, seven other kine came up after 
them out of the river, ill-favoured and leanfleshed; and 
stood bjr the kine upon the brink of the river. And the 
ill-favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven 
well-favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke." 

9. "And he slept and dreamed the second time: 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 167 

and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, 
rank and good. And, ibehold, seven thin ears and blasted 
with the east wind sprung up after them. And the 
seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. 
And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream." — 
Gen. xli. 1-8. 

10. "Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon 
thy bed, are these:" "Thou, king, sewest, and behold 
a great image. This great image, whose brightness was 
excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was 
terrible." — Daniel iii. 28, 31. 

11. "Daniel had a dream and visions of his head 
upon his bed : then he wrote the dream, and told the sum 
of the matters." — Daniel vii. 1. 

"Holy men of God spake as they were moved by 
the Holy Ghost." I have just related eleven dreams that 
were dictated by the Holy Ghost. The Bible speaks of 
filthy dreamers, so there are two kinds of dreams, filthy 
dreams and spiritual dreams. A filthy dream is 
prompted by the carnal mind and a spiritual dream by 
the spiritual mind. While I was with the Methodists, I 
dreamed of leaving them and going to the Primitive 
Baptists. 

1. I dreamed that in time of service I was in the 
house, and said to Prof. H. A. Dean and his wife that 
something was leading me to the Primitive Baptists, 
and that Mrs. Dean said, "Go to them (the church) and 
make them a plain concise statement," and that I did 
so, and that the preacher said, "We would give you a 
letter, but the Primitive Baptists will say it was the 
spirit leading you to them." 

2. I dreamed that I saw Moses with an ax upon a 
building nailing down rafters, and started to climb up 
to him on the outside of the house ; and that he would 
not let me come up that way, but he came down, got his 
horse and rode off. Then the dream turned home; and 
I saw mother, my (brothers, and sisters, Billy, Henry, 



168 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Charley, James, Mary and Bettie, all sitting around the 
fire, as we used to be when wa were all at the dear old 
home, enjoying the sweets of life under the tender care 
of mother, our father being dead. I saw one of the sis- 
ters (the two being dead) in the yard. Brothers Billy 
and Henry took her by the hands and came back into 
the house. She said, "I will show you all how I go back 
into the spirit form," and disappeared. I said, "Let's 
pray," and we all knelt in prayer. Then I awoke, and 
found it was a dream. 

3. I dreamed that I saw beautiful fish in the clear 
water in the waste way of the mill pond, in little holes 
after the water had run off, and I caught them with, 
my hands. 

4. I dreamed that I was fishing with fishhook bait- 
ed, and a very large' fish bit ; and in throwing it out, 
the pole, line and fish stood perpendicular over my 
head. When I looked the fish was a bright shining 
star; then I awoke. 

5. I dreamed that I saw a hand on the ceiling, 
and a light flashed around it three times. I was read- 
ing the Bible where it says, "Thou son of man, hear 
What I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that 
rebellious house : open thy mouth, and eat that I give 
thee. And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent 
unto me ; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein * * * 
Then did I eat it ; and it was in my mouth as honey for 
sweetness." — Ezekiel ii. 8, 9. Then I awoke and felt 
that I must eat the Bible and go and tell the house of 
Israel how bitter it was to read it and how sweet to 
prsach the unsearchable riches of Christ. 

6. I dreamed that I saw fish in a basin of earth 
on a hill, and the water had dried up, the fish alive 
and swine feeding around them, and the fish appeared 
conscious . of their danger and were making their way 
down the hill to a ravine in the valley. 

Interpretations. — Dream 1. The time had come 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 169 

for me to leave the Methodists, yiet I had not preached 
up to this time. They were willing, to give me up; 
but advised me to go into the ministry at once. 

2. iMoses with the ax and horse represents the 
preacher on horseback, and the ax the gospel. If I 
with the ax, stand on the ground and cut the tree down, 
I could preach the final perseverance of the saints in 
trimming the tree up, standing on the ground; but if 
I trimmed . it up before J cut it down, there would be 
danger of falling from grace. As Moses was dead and 
buried, the law was dead and buried. Moses had quit 
sprinkling and would not let me climb up on the out- 
side of the church, but told me to come in through, 
baptism, the door of the organic church. The return 
of the little sister represents the" Spirit. Seeing all of 
mother's family present in the dream, makes me feel 
like I will meet them all in the Paradise of God to have 
a sweet communion and reunion where meetings never 
break up and there's no more parting. 

3. The next church I preached to after having this 
dream, was under the care of Brother James Duncan, 
where several joined the church. 

4. I was reading the Bible in my sleep, the hand 
and the light were visions of the Spirit. The lamenta- 
tions, mourning and woe were the chastisement, the 
rod and the stripes that I was to be beaten with for 
rebellion, in verse 10. After eating, or perusing, the 
Bible, then I was to teach its contents to others. 

5. The fish represents the members where the 
church had gone down 1 and were making their way to a 
stream where they could be fed with the gospel. The 
swine around them wieire other churches that were liable 
to swallow them up. These dreams were along in the 
beginning of my early ministry and were proofs to me 
that God was leading me by His Spirit, and blessing my 
labors. 



170 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

JOSEPH IS YET ALIVE 

"And Israel said, It is enough, Joseph my son is 
yet alive : I will go and see him before I die." — Gen. xlv. 
28. Joseph was a figure of Christ and sent before his 
brethren to preserve life. As Joseph revealed himself 
to his brethren, they were troubled at his presence. So 
as Christ reveals Himself to the sinner, the sinner is 
troubled and begins to pray and wants to know "Lord, 
what wilt thou have me to do?" As I see in the Scrip- 
ture, Joseph's father, mother and brethren bowing 
around him, I see the interpretation of his dream, the 
sun, moon and stars making obeisance to him, so I see 
Jesus, the church and twelve Apostles making obeisance 
to the Father. 

Dream 2. The wise men being warned of God in 
a dream that they should not return to Herod, departed 
into their own country another way. So the sinner 
after regeneration, is not to go back to Herod, his old 
sin; but is to go rejoicing, back another way. 

4. When Herod is dead, our old sin, we are to 
arise in baptism, and with our mother (the church), 
to walk in newness of life ; for they are dead that sought 
the young child's life. (Interpretations to dreams 10 
and 11, See subject on the church). "Joseph is yet alive, 
I will go and see him before I die." Christ is yet alive, 
all of God's children will sse Him in the Spirit before 
they die: "For the Spirit beareth witness with our 
spirit that we are the children of God, and if children 
of God, heirs of God; and if heirs of God, joint heirs 
of the Lord Jesus Christ.' As Pharaoh was greater 
only in the throne than Joseph,, so God is only greater 
than Christ in the throne. As the good of all the land 
of Egypt was given to Israel, so the church was given to 
Israel. The corn represents the gospel; Egypt, the 
world; Joseph, Christ; Israel the church; and the Egyp- 
tians, different kinds of worshippers. The money was 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 171 

put back in the mouth of each sack of Joseph's (breth- 
ren ; so the spirit will be put iback in leach body at the 
resurrection. Israel never did pay for her corn as the 
money was refunded; but all other people paid for 
theirs. When they got out of money, they 'had to bond 
their wives, their children, their lands and their stock 
to get corn ; so it is today, the gospel doesn't cost Israel 
anything; but everybody else must pay for it. This 
looks like respecter of persons. When Israel left Egypt, 
God had respect of persons; the death angel slew the 
first male born of every family of the Egyptians; and 
did not stop ,a.t this, but slew the first male born of 
the lower animals, and left the Israelites and their 
beasts unharmed. 

Hearing Without a preacher. — "How shall they 
hear without a preacher?" — Rom. x. 14. The Saviour 
tells us Ihow they hear without iai preacher. "Verily, 
verily, the hour is coming, and now is when the dead 
shall hear the voice of the Son of God : and they that 
hear shall live." — John v. 25. "And you, being dead 
in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath 
he quickened together with 'him, having forgiven you 
all trespasses." — Col. ii. 13. "And you hath he quick- 
ened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;" "Even 
when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together 
with Christ (by grace are ye saved;)" "For by grace 
are ye saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves : 
it is the gift of God : Not of works lest any man should 
boast." — Ephesians ii. 1, 5, 8. "Then the eyes of the 
blind shall be opened, land the ears of the deaf shall 
be unstopped." — Isaiah xxxv. 5. "And I will give them 
one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and 
I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will 
give them an heart of flesh." — Ezekiel xi. 19. "The 
Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord 
hath lanointed me to preach good tidings unto the 
meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, 



172 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of 
the prison to them that are bound." — Isaiah Ixi. 1. "To 
open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the 
prison, and. them that sit in darkness out of the prison 
house." — Isaiah lii. 7. "That thou mayest say to the 
prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, 
Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and 
their pastures shall be in all high places."' Shall the 
prey be taken from the mighty or the lawful captive 
delivered? , But thus saith the Lord, even the captives 
of the mighty shall be taken away,, and the prey of the 
terrible shall be delivered : for I will contend with him 
that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children." 
— Isaiah xlix. 9, 24-26. "The Lord God hath given me 
the tongue of the learned, that I should know "how to 
speak a word in season to him that is weary : he waken- 
etti morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear 
as the learned." — Isaiah 1. 4. "And other sheep I have, 
which are not of this fold : them also I must bring, and 
they shall hear my voice ; and there shall be one fold, 
and one shepherd." "My sheep hear my voice, and I 
know them, and they follow me:" "I give unto them 
eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall 
any pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which 
gave them me, is greater than all ; and none is able to 
pluck them out of my Father's hand." — John x. 16, 27- 
29. "Why do ye not understand my speech? even be- 
cause ye cannot hear my word." "He that is of God 
heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, be- 
cause ye are not of God." — John viii. 43, 47. We are 
of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not 
of God heareth not us,, Hereby know we the spirit of 
truth, and the spirit of error." 1st John iv. 6. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 173. 

THE WORD OF GOD. 

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by 
the word of God." — Rom. x. 17. The apostle never 
said faith cometh by the thing ye hear; but faith cometh 
by hearing\ Neither did he say, hearing cometh by the 
preacher; but "hearing cometh by the word of God." 
"In the beginning was the word and the word was with 
God, and the word was God." So then faith cometh 
by hearing, and hearing cometh by God. Now we have 
the right way man gets his hearing. "He that is of God 
'heareth God's words." Does this text not prove that 
one must he of God first, (before he can hear Gods' 
words? "He that knoweth God heareth us." Does this 
not prove that one must know God first, before he can 
hear us ? Jesus said, 'the reason they could not under- 
stand His speech, was because they could not hear His 
word," and the reason 'they could not hear His word 
was because they were not His sheep.' He said his 
sheep heard his voice ; and he knew them, and gave them 
eternal life, and their having this life, caused them 
to hear His voice and His word," and He said, "He 
that heaneth my word, and believth on Him that sent 
me, hath everlasting life." He would deliver the law- 
ful captive, and "contend with him that contendeth 
with thee," and will save our children. John said, "I 
saw an angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the 
everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on 
the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, 
and people." — Rev. xiv. 6. This is the way they 
hear without a preacher. I will take away the stony 
heart and give them an iheart they can feel with, I will 
open the blind eye, I will unstop the deaf ears and loose 
the stammering tongue. "This is the covenant that 
I will make with them," "I will put my laws into their 
hearts, and in their minds will I write them ; And their 
sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now 



174 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

where remission of these is, there is no more offering 
for sin." 

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white 
horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful 
and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and 
make war. His eyes were as a flame of fine, and on His 
head were many crowns; and he had a name written, 
that no man knew, but (he himself. And he wais clothed 
with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called 
this word of God." — Rev. xix. 11-13. The written word 
never rode a white horse in heaven, neither does the 
written word discern the thoughts and intents % of the 
heart, nor is the written word called God, neither cross 
the written word give hearing, nor is the written word 
in the heart, neither does the written word born us 
again of an incorruptible seed that abideth forever. 
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and 
sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to 
the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints 
and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and in- 
tents of the heart.' — Hebrew iv. 12. "But what saith 
it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in 
thy heart : that is, the word of faith, which we preach." 
— Rom. x. 8. "J>eing born again, not of a corruptible 
seed but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which 
liveth and abideth forever." "And this is the word 
which by the gospel is preached unto you." — 1st 'Peter ; 
23, 25. "My word shall not return unto me void, but 
it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall 
prosper in the thing where to I sent it." — Isa. Iv. 11. 
"Then I said I will not make mention of him, nor speak 
any more in His name. But his word was in mine 
heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I 
was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." — ■ 
Jer. xx. 9. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a 
light unto my piath." "Thy word is very pure : therefore 
thy servant loveth it." "Thy word is true from the 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 175 

beginning and every word of thy righteous judgements 
endureth forever." — Ps. cxix. 105, 140, 160. "They 
that glady received his word were baptized." — Acts ii. 
41. "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy 
Ghost fell on all them which heard the word." — Acts x. 
44. Not on all that heard Peter; for Cornelius had in- 
vited Ihis friends and near kinsmen to come to the 
service of Peter, and the scripture says all were bap- 
tized that the Holy Ghost fell on, and that those whom 
Peter baptized, were Cornelius and his house; so we 
will conclude that the Holy Ghost didn't fall on every 
body present, or on all that heard Peter; but on all 
that heard the word, and he didn't command any to be 
baptized, ibut those on whom the Holy Ghost fell, and 
it fell on them before baptism. None were baptized 
on the day of Pentecost except those who were circum- 
cised in heart and gladly received the word. The 
prophet said, "His word was in mine heart as a burning 
fire ishut up in my bones, then 1' was weary with for- 
bearing, and I could not stay." The apostle said, "The 
word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thine 
heart, that is the word of faith which we preach." 
Peter said, "The word" that borns us again, "liveth 
and abideth for ever." And this is the word which by 
the gospel is preached unto you." Paul said, "The 
word was quick and powerful, sharper than a two- 
edged sword, could pierce and divide asunder the soul 
and spirit, the joints and marrow, and could discern or 
see the thoughts and intents of the heart." John said 
it had a head, wore crowns on its head, rode a white 
horse in heaven, made war and could conquer and is 
called God and was God." Peter said to Cornelius, "The 
word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preach- 
ing peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) That 
word, I say, ye know, which was published through- 
out all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism 
which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of 



176 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power : who 
went about doing good, and healing all that were op- 
pressed of the devil; for God was with Him. (Notice: 
Acts x. 36-39 is the word.) "That word I say, ye know, 
which was published throughout all Judea." The Mis- 
sionary Baptists say Cornelius had heard this word 
preached before Peter got " to preach it to Cornelius. 
■If. Cornelius had heard it, I would like to know who 
preached it. If Cornelius had heard, it was preached 
by that angel that John saw riding a white horse in 
heaven, whose name is called "The Word of God" and 
who had the everlasting gospel to preach to every 
nation, kindred, tongue and people. 

SUPPORT OF THE MINISTRY. 

The first hired preachers were hired to preach 
the nonresurrection doctrine. The guard that was 
placed around Jesus' sepulcher first preached the truth. 
They told that he was risen. The chief priests and 
elders held a counsel and "Gave large money unto the 
soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, 
and stole him away while we slept." This was a hired 
ministry, because the priests paid them money and 
told them what to preach; and leaves the impression 
that when a man is hired to preach, he is hired to 
preach a false doctrine. I never knew a man yet hired 
to tell the truth, it is always the opposite to the truth. 
I never knew a hired witness in court to testify to the 
truth. If the watch had continued to preach the resur- 
rection of the Lord, it would have been right for them 
to have lived of the carnal things to whom they preach- 
ed ; but we do not believe in hiring men to . preach, and 
it a false doctrine, too. While we believe in the support 
of the ministry, we want it done in an apostolic way, 
They said, "Being brought on their way" by the 
brethren, i. e., brought from one place to another. Solo- 
mon said, "Cast thy bread upon the waters : for thou 
shalt find it after many days.'— Eccl. xi. 1. "Blessed 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 177 

are ye that sow Ibeside all waters, that send forth 
thither the feet of the ox." — 'Isaiah xxxii. 20. "Thou 
shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be 
grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for 
this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy 
works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto." — 
Deut. xv. 10. "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth 
unto the ( Lord ; and that which he hath given will he 
pay him again."- — Prov. xix. 17. "And whosoever shall 
give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold 
water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say un- 
to you, he shall in no wise lose his reward." — Miatt. x. 
42. "As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he 
hath given to the poor: # his righteousness remaineth 
forever." — 2nd. Cor. ix. 9. "And let us not be weary 
in well doing; for in due season, we shall reap, if we 
faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do 
good unto all mien, especially unto them who are of the 
household of faith."— JGal. vi. 9-10. "For God is not 
unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, 
which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have 
ministered to the saints, and do minister." — Heb. vi. 10. 
The references go on, but the above is enough to 
teach the meaning of "Cast your bread upon the 
waters." "He that watereth shall be watered." "Sow 
beside iall waters." "He leadeth me beside the still 
waters." "Who goeth a warfare any time at his own 
charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eatheth not of 
the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth 
not of the milk of the flock?" "Thou shall not muzzle 
the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn." If we 
have sowm unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing 
if we shall reap your carnal things? Even so hath the 
Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should 
live of the gospel." — 1st Cor. ix. 7-14. Now the 
apostle says, "I have used none of these things," which 
conclusively shows the true meaning. We know that 



178 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

he lived of the gospel, and he says he used none of these 
things. He meant he had taken nothing for his preach- 
ing. But the Lord hath ordained that they which preach 
the gospel shall live of those to whom they preach. The 
ox ishall eat where he treads, not tread in China and 
eat in America; but eat over there in China. If a 
brother or friend wants to contribute to the minister to 
the support of the minister it is right, and is right for 
the minister to receive it with thanks. "And we be- 
seech you, brethren to know them which labor among 
you, and are over you in the Lord^ and admonish you; 
And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's 
sake."— 1st Thes. v. 12-13. 

THE RESURRECTION. 

Resurrection comes from the Greek "Re" and 
"Surgo" and means a raising again from the dead. 
This is the reason the Sadducees called St. Paul in ques- 
tion so often, because he preached the resurrection of the 
dead. "When Paul perceived that one part were Sad- 
ducees, and the other Pharisees he cried out in the 
council, "Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee:" "of the 
hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in ques- 
tion." Paul said to Felix, "Touching the resurrection 
of the dead d am called in question by you this day." 
Paul said to Agrippa, "Why should it be thought a 
thing incredible with you, that God should raise the 
dead?" "Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, 
and of the Stoicks, encountered him," and said, "He 
seemeth to be a setter forth of strange Gods: because 
he preached unto them Jesus and the resurrection." 
"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the 
which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 
and shall come forth." — John v. 27. It is the whole 
body that must be quickened "You hath He quickened 
who were dead in trespasses and in sins." — Eph. ii. 1. 
This is the first quickening which is done by the Spirit 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 179 

in the new birth. "But if the Spirit of him that raised 
up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised 
up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal 
bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." — Rom. vii. 11. 
This is when the body is quickened in the resurrection. 
"Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting 
for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body," — 
Rom. viii. 23. "For our conversation is in heaven ; from 
whence 'also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus 
Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be 
fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the 
working whereby he is able even to subdue all things 
unto Himself."— Phil. Mi. 20-21. "As the Father raiseth 
up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son 
quickeneth whom he will." — John v. 21. "If ye then be 
risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, 
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." — Col. 
iii. 1. "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first 
resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, 
but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall 
reign with Him." "And the sea gave up the dead 
which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the 
dead which were in them." "Thy dead men shall live, 
together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake 
and sing, ye that dwell in dust : for thy dew is as the 
dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." 
Isaiah xxvi. 19. "And many of them that sleep in the 
dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, 
and some to shame and everlasting contempt." — Dan. 
xii. 2. "And these shall go (away into everlasting pun- 
ishment: but the righteous into life eternal." — Matt, 
xxv. 46. "I will ransom them from the power of the 
grave; I will redeem them from death: death, I will 
be thy plagues; grave, I will be thy destruction: 
repentance shall be hid from mine eyes." — Hosea xiii. 
14. "Fear not : for I am with thee : I will bring thy 
seed from the east, and gather thee from the west ; I will 



180 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

say to the north, give up ; and to the south, Keep not 
back : bring my sons from far, and my daughters from 
the ends of the earth ; Even every one that is called by 
my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have 
formed him: yea, I have made him." — Isaiah xliii. 5-8. 
"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the 
Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, 
Father." "That ye might receive the adoption of sons/' 
— Gal. iv. 5-6. By the law of regeneration and Spirit 
adoption, we are put into the spiritual kingdom, the 
body is redeemed from the grave by the same spirit 
that adopts us into the kingdom of God here and adopted 
into the heavenly family in the resurrection, when the 
Lord shall change this vile body and fashion it like unto 
His glorious body. "As the Father raiseth up the dead, 
and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth 
whom he will." So regeneration is' performed by 
the same power and just in the same manner 
that the dead are raised from the grave. "There 
are celestial .bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the 
glory of celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial 
is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another 
glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars : for 
one star differeth from another in glory. So also is the 
resurrection of the dead." — 1st Cor. xv. 40-42. I under- 
stand the apostle here means the excellency of the celes- 
tial body so far surpasses the terrestrial body in glory 
that it makes the difference in the two glories, one star 
differeth from another star in glory- "It is sown in^ 
corruption; it is raised in incorruption : It is sown in 
dishonor; it is raised in glory; It is sown in weakness; 
•it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is 
raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and 
there is a spiritual body," and as there is a natural 
body and a spiritual body, so there is a glory for each 
foody, and one body or star differs from another in the 
two glories. As is the earthy, such are they that are 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 181 

earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that 
are heavenly. And as we have, borne the image of the 
earthy, we shall also bear the image of the -heavenly. 
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this 
mortal must put on immortality, then death will be 
swallowed up in victory? and we will say, "Thanks be 
to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord 
Jesus Christ." "For if we believe that Jesus died and 
rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will 
God bring forth with Him. "For this we say unto you 
by ths word of the Lord, that we- which are alive and re- 
main unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent 
thsm which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall 
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the 
iarchangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead 
in Christ shall rise first : then we which are alive and 
remain shall be caught up together with them in the 
clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we 
ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another 
with these words." For "I would not have you to be 
ignorant brethren concerning them which, are asleep, 
that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." 
—1st Thes. iv. 13-18. 

FUTURE RECOGNITION. 

Shall we know each other in heaven? Yes; but 
not as we know each other in this world. If death is 
swallowed up in victory, and death and hell is cast 
into the lake of fire and there shall be no more tears ; 
"For the former things are passed away," and a new 
heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteous- 
ness; we will have a new mind, a new spirit, new 
thoughts, different food,, different raiment,, and in- 
stead of a fleshy body, a spiritual ibody. "We shall be 
changed," we will be in a different element a different 
world and capacitated and elemented for eternity. He 
said, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are 



182 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

your ways my ways, saitoh the -Lord. For as the heav- 
ens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher 
than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." 
So then our thoughts, our ways, and our life will be 
as far above our thoughts, our ways, and our life here, 
as the heavens are above the earth ; because the apostle 
said that when we shall see Him, we shall be like Him; 
and when He shall appear, we also shall appear with 
Him in glory." 

Mary did not know Jesus at the sepulcher, the two 
that walked with Him from Jerusalem to Emmeus did 
not know Him until He revealed Himself to them, 
neither did any of the disciples know Him when, they 
saw Him until He revealed Himself to them. In speak- 
ing of the transfiguration Mark said that Peter "Wist 
not what to say," and Luke said, "And it came to pass, 
as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, 
Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make 
three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and 
one for Elias : not knowing what he said." — Luke ix. 33. 
If Peter knew Moses and Elias, he must have caught it 
from Christ's calling them by name, because the scrip- 
ture says they conversed with Christ as to His decease, 
and not to have known them from their appearance; 
because they were in glory, and Peter in the flesh. 
Luke's saying that Peter knew not what he said, makes 
future recognition look obscure. The Bible says, "Jesus 
loved John," and it appears that He would have revealed 
as much to John as to any of the disciples; and John 
said, "It doth not yet appear what we shall be ; but we 
know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him.' 
David said, "I shall be satisfied when I awake wih thy 
likeness." St. Paul said, "Now we see through a glass 
darkly," ''now I know in part; but then shall I know 
even as also I am known ;" i. e., as we are known there, 
not as we are known here; for here we are known as 
male and female, and there we are not; for we are 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 183 

not known as male and female in the new birth, "There 
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, 
there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in 
Christ Jesus." — Gal. iii. 28. "Jesus answered the Sad- 
ducees "and said unto them, ye do err, not knowing the 
scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection 
they neither marry, nor are given in marriage but are 
as the angels of God in heaven." — Matt. xxii. 29-30. 
Nov/ this is Jesus' language to the Sadducees. That 
marriage is not known, man and wife are not known 
as man and wife ; but as angels. Not angels ; but hav- 
ing the appearance and glory of angels of God in heav- 
en. 

Here is one point that I want the brethren to fully 
understand, that gives me more comfort and satisfac- 
tion on the resurrection than speculation on future 
identity. And that is this : "But as touching the resur- 
rection of the dead),, have ye not read that which was 
spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abra- 
ham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God 
is not the God of the dead, but of the living." — Matt, 
xxii. 31-32. This is the point of notice: If God is the 
God of the living, who is the God of the dead? Jesus. 
If Jesus never had come and died, and rose again, our 
dead bodies never would have had la God. This is my 
hope, here hinges my salvation and melts my poor 
soul to know my Saviour is risen, my Redeemer liveth 
and that my body will be raised from the sleeping dust 
of the earth and I shall see Him as He is ; for mine 
eyes shall sbehold Him and not another. Job evidently 
meant with spiritual eyes ; for he said his flesh would be 
consumed, "Though my reins be consumed within me," 
"yet in my flesh shall I see God : whom I shall see for 
myself; and mine eyes shall behold and not another: 
for He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth." 
"If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my 
appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Thou 



184 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

shalt call, and I will answer thee." "Though he slay 
me, yet will I trust him." — Job xiii. 15. Job says, 
that he will be changed. St. Paul says, "We shall all 
be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." 
The parable of Lazarus and the rich man refers to time, 
.here in this life, and not to eternity. The object of the 
parable was to teach the Jew the destruction of the 
legal dispensation and the condition the Jew would be 
placed in, seeing the Gentile in Christ under the gospel 
dispensation. "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, 
neither would they hear though one rose from the dead." 
If the rich man's prayer had been answered, then we 
could belie vie more strongly in future recognition. The 
latter part of this chapter or parable was designed to 
teach that there is no repentance after death. If I did 
not believe in the resurrection of the body, I never 
would baptize any one to make the type of the burial 
and resurrection of the Lord. How beautifully Christ 
illustrated the resurrection with baptism. How well He 
demonstrated it in raising Lazarus. Could He have 
proven it any better than in the resurrection of His own 
body? "I have power to lay it down, and I have power 
to take it again." "And many bodies of the saints that 
slept arose," "And went into the holy city and appeared 
unto many." Reason teaches us that we will know 
more in heaven than we know here. t Christ taught us 
that we will know more here by following Him. Then 
we shall know each other there as we are taught there ; 
for we shall know even also as we are known there. 
We will sing there, we will eat and drink there, we 
will wear raiment and a crown there, but it will all 
be spiritual. The veils will be removed, and we will 
know and understand with spiritual knowledge as 
angels. 'Tor the Lamb which is in the midst of the 
throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living 
fountains of waters ;" a crown shall be given to all them 
that love Him and white robes put on them, they shall 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 185 

be kings and priests unto God, all tears shall be wiped 
away and repentance shall (be hid from their eyes : 
wherefore brethren, be comforted in sickness, be com- 
forted in death, and sorrow not, because you have a hope, 
you have a God of the spirit and you have a Lord of the 
body, the Father the God of the living, and the son, the 
Lord Jesus Christ the God of the resurrection or the 
God of the dead body. Wherefore, be comforted and 
rejoice in God your Saviour. 

"WHEEL IN THE MIDDLE OF A WHEEL." 

"The appearance of the wheels and their work was 
like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one 
likeness: and their appearance and their work was as 
it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel." — Ezekiel 
i. 16. 

1. Appearance and work of wheels. 

2. Colour of a beryl. 

3. Four had one likeness. 

4. A wheel in the middle of a wheel. 

A vision is an inspired dream. This is one of 
Ezekiel's visions. 

1. Appearance and work of wheels. This 
means that the appearance and work of these wheels 
were just alike. I am persuaded that all the children 
of God are taught in the same school and by the same 
teacher. Hence their experiences, or wheels, are alike 
in so much as they tell the same thing in meaning 
though they may differ in words. 

2. A beryl always has the same colour, so the 
children of God have the same mark or fruit of the 
Spirit. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, gentle- 
ness, meekness, goodness, temperance, long-suffering, 
faith." The first mark of a child of God I notice is 
love. The Bible teaches us that God is love and that 
we love Him because He first loved us. It also teaches 
us that God is a Spirit. Science says, "Things that are 



186 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

equal to the same thing are equal to each other." Now 
let us make an equation : 1. God is love. 2. God is a 
Spirit. Then according to the axiom, things that are 
equal to the same thing are equal to each other, can- 
celing the word (God is) in equations 1 and 2, we 
have left the words (love and Spirit). Now we can 
make the third equation, Love equals Spirit. Therefore 
love equals spirit, and spirit equals love. Now, we can 
clearly see if God is love and God is a Spirit, that love 
and spirit are identical and the same thing. John said, 
"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; 
and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth 
God." Paul said, "The Spirit itself beareth witness 
with our spirit, that we tare the children of God." Here 
are love and Spirit agreeing to the same thing, that 
we are the children of God. 

Wheels. — We are often asked the question, which 
one of the fruits of the Spirit acts first? I will an- 
wer this by an illustration of a wagon wheel. Let faith 
answer to the hub, repentance to the spoke, hope to 
the felloe and love to the tire. When the wheel moves, 
you cannot tell which moves first the hub, the spoke, 
the felloe or the tire. All move in unison. I under- 
stand it is so in regeneration. There is a cause or 
power that makes the wheel move, so there is a power 
that works in the soul, (and love, faith, repentance and 
hope are the fruit of that power, which the Bible calls 
the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of regeneration. 
"Now abideth faith, hope, icharity, these three; but the 
greatest of these is charity." As the wheel could not 
stand up under the pressure put upon it without the 
tire on it, neither can we be saved without love; and 
the Bible says, "God is love." So the apostle might 
well say, "And has not charity, I am nothing." 

3. Four had one likeness. — "As for the likeness 
of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and 
the face of a lion on the right side : and they four had 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 187 

the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had 
the face of an eagle." — Ezekiel i. 10. When you hit 
your preacher, you hit him in the face and when you 
hit him in the face, you always hit him in the tender- 
est place about him; therefore he has the face of a 
man. Some oxen go so fast you have to hit them in 
the face to make them hold back; while others are so 
slow, you have to whip them up to make them pull ; so 
the preacher has the face of an ox. But the worst ox is 
the one that sulks. When the lion roars, all the beasts of 
the field hide, because he is the king of the forest. The 
preacher sometimes roars till he lifts you to the skies 
and then he lets you down so easy, that he does not 
hurt you. The eagle has a keen eye and soars high, 
so does the preacher. We often hear people say, "He 
is a two-faced man," but we have found that the preach- 
er has four faces, "and they four had one likeness," i. e., 
one man (bore the four marks, "and every one four 
wings." — Ezekiel x. 21. "Every one had four faces, 
and every .one had four wings;" "and the likeness of the 
hands of a man was under their kings." The apostle 
tells us to "Put on the whole armour of God," "The 
helmet, the hope of salvation," "The breast plate of 
faith," to ward off the fiery darts of the wicked one, 
having our loins girt about with righteousness and our 
"Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." 
Now I understand these four things belonging to the 
armour of God are the four wings; and the hands of a 
man under their wings are the spirit of prayer and 
the Bible the sword of the Spirit. 

4. A wheel in the middle of a wheel. — I under- 
stand this is Christ in you the hope of glory. "Ye are 
the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth 
in you." "Being confident of this very thing, 
that he which hath begun a good work in you will per- 
form it until the day of Jesus Christ. "There is a 
spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty 



188 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH ' 

giveth them understanding." Job said, "Thy visita- 
tion hath preserved my spirit. 

There was a little book with seven seals and none 
but Christ was found worthy to open it and read there- 
on. This is the book of regeneration. So we will sum 
up, "Perform it," "Washing by regeneration," "Renew- 
ing the Holy Ghost," "Visitation of God's Spirit/ "Book 
of seven seals," "I am in my Father and ye in me, 
and I in you," is a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 

THEOPHILUS AND MELCHISEDEC. 

Theophilus, one to whom St. Luke addresses the 
books of his gospel and Acts of the Apostles, which 
he composed. Acts i. 1. Luke i. 3. It is doubted 
whether the name Theophilus be here the proper name 
of a man, or an appellative or common name, which, 
according to its etymology, may stand for any good 
man, or a lover of God. Some think this name is 
generic, and that Luke's design here is to address his 
work to those that love God ; but it is much more prob- 
able that this Theophilus was a- Christian to whom the 
evangelist has dedicated those two works; and the 
epithet, of "most excellent," which is given to him, 
shows him to have been a man of great quality.- 
Ecumenius concludes from thence that he was gover- 
nor intendant of some province, because such a person- 
age generally had the title of "most excellent" given to 
him. Grotius -conjectures he might be a magistrate of 
Achaia, converted by St. Luke. — Watson p. 1005. 

I have been requested to give my views on the above 
subjects. If I were to write a letter to Elder C. H. 
Cayce, taking him for a model disciple of Christ, and 
addressing him as such because of his orderly walk 
and pious conversation, and embrace all such worship- 
ers in writing about the Lord's house or people, you 
would see at once the letter was directed to Elder C. H. 
Cayce and all the household of like precious faith. As 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 189 

the epithet "most excellent 77 is a title given to distin- 
guished persons, it is probable that Theophilus was a 
distinguished Christian man; and so was Melchisedee 
a man. St. Paul said, "How great this man was ;" and 
ha was made a priest by God, whom Abram met return- 
ing from the spoil of the four confederated kings to 
wit: Amraphel, Arioch, Chedorlaoxmer and Tidal. "And 
Melchisedee king of Salem brought forth bread and 
wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 
And he blessed him," and Abram gave him tithes. "First 
being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after 
that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace ; With- 
out father, without mother, without descent, having 
neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made 
like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest contin- 
ually." As Abraham paid tithes, the sons of Levi 
received tithes, having a commandment to take them of 
the people according to the law. "And here men that 
die receive tithes; but there he "(Christ)" receiveth 
them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth." — Heb. viL 
8. Those priests were made without an oath; but this 
with an oath, and as those priests died, had a changeable 
priesthood ; but this man, because He continueth ever, 
hath an unchangeable priesthood, "Who is made, not 
after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the 
power of an endless life." If Melchisedee was a man, he 
had a descent, a natural father and mother, hence the 
writer was referring to his priesthood that had no 
descent, no father, no mother, no beginning of days nor 
end of life. Therefore Christ's priesthood always was 
present with the Father, just as much so as Christ was 
with Him; but not so to us until manifested by His 
appearing and disappearing. Melchisedee was not of 
the Aaronic priesthood, as that priesthood had ia begin- 
ning and -ending. Neither did John the Baptist baptize 
Christ into His priestly office. If so, that would make 
every one baptized a high priest. It was the Father 



190 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

that made Christ a King by anointing Him with power 
and the Holy Ghost, and a High Priest by glorifying 
Him in the resurrection. Christ said to Pilate, "To 
this end was I born," i. e., to be a king. The divinity 
had no blood to shed; for this cause He took humanity 
on Himself to give His blood a ransom for the remission 
of sin to make the atonement, His death for reconcilia- 
tion to God and His life for eternal salvation. As 
His birth in the world was essential to set up His king- 
dom, just so was His death, resurrection and ascension 
to enter His priesthood to complete the redemption of 
His people. " Which hope we have as an anchor of 
the soul both sure and steadfast, 'which entereth into 
that within the veil; wnither the forerunner for us is 
entered, even Jesus, made an high priest forever after 
the order of Melchisedec." As Abraham was His type 
in conquering the four confederate kings and bringing 
back the captives led away by Chedorlaomer who was 
a figure of death, so Christ in His death and resurrec- 
tion conquered the four confederate kings, sin, death, 
hell and the grave, and relieved the captives by open- 
ing the prison doors and bringing the prisoners out 
of the prison house where they were all their lifetime 
in bondage. "Therefore will I divide him a portion 
with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the 
strong." As Melchisedec blessed Abram with bread and 
wine, so Christ blessed the church with His body and 
blood, and then blessed the emblems and gave to us "the 
bread and the wine." While He was 'here in the flesh, 
He was called King of righteousness, "Behold a king 
shall reign in righteousness and princes shall rule in 
judgement." After the resurrection He was called King 
of Salem which is King of peace." "My peace I give 
unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto, you." 
"Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world;" "In 
the world ye shall have tribulation," but in me peace. 
If Melchisedec's priesthood was without descent, so was 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 191 

Christ's, for His was made after that order; then if 
Melchisedec's had no descent, Christ abideth a priest 
continually, He must have been a priest forever 
after the order of Melchissdec. "This man" 
"hath an unchangeable priesthood." The apostle 
said, "If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, 
seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to 
the law." We see the manifestation of His natural life 
beginning at Bethlehem and ending at Jerusalem on the 
cross. "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten 
thee," begotten thee this day from the dead, and re- 
turned "King of Salem, priest of the most high God." 
Abraham was a figure of Christ in the flesh. God said 
to Abraham, "Get thee out of thy country," unto a 
land that I will shew thee." So Jesus left His Father's 
house and lived in a land (the body). "Sacrifice and 
offering thou wouldest not; but a body hast thou pre- 
pared me." As Abraham was the head of his tribe!,, 
in whose faith all the nations of the earth were to be 
blessed, so Jesus was the 'head over -all things to the 
body (His church). He won a doubly royal crown in 
the garden of Gethsemane with that all-conquering pow- 
er "Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done." And 
as He returned from the garden, He met an angelic 
messenger, answering to Mdchisedec, who strengthened 
and blessed Him. As Abraham prepared and placed 
on the altar those sacrifices and watched over them to 
keep away the birds of prey, he realized most horrible 
things and while a deep sleep fell on him, a gloom of 
great darkness came over him. Just so as Jesus brought 
His own precious body and laid it on the altar of sac- 
rifice, saying, "I come to do thy will God," as "it is 
written of me" "in the volume of this book." As this deep 
sleep and horror were over Abraham while his offering 
was being made, while Christ was on the expiration 
of the altar in the travail of His soul, the sun was dark- 
ened, the moon blushed, the stars went out, darkness 



192 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

overspread the temple, it being rent in twain and the 
veil from the top of the bottom, the mariners on the 
Mediterranean sea took down their sails saying, "Surely 
the God of the universe is dying." While we have but 
a glimpse of Melchisedec like a bright meteor gleaming 
through the sky, we think of the three years Jesus was 
here anointed with power and the Holy Ghost who went 
about doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the 
devil, performing the greatest miracles on earth ; but 
now like the bright meteor gleaming athwart the sky, 
He is gone. Nevertheless we look for a new heaven 
and a new earth wherein He will come back and dwell in 
His Royal Priesthood forever and ever. 

PILATE'S LETTER. 

In the following we give Pontius Pilate's letter to 
Augustus Caesar. It purports to be a correct transcript 
drawn from the records found in the Vatican at Rome. 
It is found in a book called Caesar's Court. Whether it 
is a correct lettter written by Pontius Pilate or not, I 
do not know, but it is so interesting I give it to my read- 
ers. It proposes to be a description of the scenes and 
transactions of the trial and crucifixion of Christ. The 
glowing description and innocence of Jesus seems to me 
cannot fail to touch a place in the hearts of God's chil- 
dren. Some may not admire it, and call it fiction ; but 
if it is, it is such a fiction as corresponds so closely with 
the Bible account of the crucifixion and resurrection of 
our dear Lord and Master that it is highly interesting 
to me. It seems to me that it is not unreasonable that 
the records of a great nation should be preserved and 
kept on file. 

THE LETTER. 

To Tiberius Caesar, Emperor of Rome. Noble Sov- 
ereign, Greeting: — The events of the last few days of 
my province have been of such character that I will 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 193 

give the details in full as they occurred ; as I should not 
be surprised if, in the course of time, they may change 
the destiny of our nation; for it seems of late that all 
the gods have ceased to 'be propitious. I am almost 
ready to say, cursed be the day that I succeeded Valle- 
rius Flaceus in the government of Judea ; for since then 
my life has been one of continual uneasiness and dis- 
tress. On my arrival at Jerusalem I took possession of 
the pretorium and ordered a splendid feast to be pre- 
pared, to which I invited the tetrarch of Galilee, with 
the high priest and his officers. At the appointed hour 
ho guests appeared. This I considered an insult offering 
to my dignity, and to the whole government to which I 
belong. A few days after the high priest deigned to 
pay me a visit. His deportment Was grave and deceit- 
ful. He pretended that his religion forbade him and 
his attendants to sit down at the table of the Romans 
and eat and offer liberations with them, but from that 
moment I was convinced that the conquered had de- 
clared themselves the enemy of the conquerors; and I 
would warn the Romans to beware of the high priests 
of this country. They would betray their own mother 
to gain an office and procure a luxurious living. It 
seemed to me, of conquered cities, Jerusalem was the 
most difficult to govern. So turbulent were the people 
that I lived in momentary dread of an insurrection. I 
had not soldiers sufficient to suppress it. I only had 
one centurion and a hundred men at my command. I 
requested a reinforcement from the prefect of Syria, 
who informed me that he had scarcely troops sufficient 
to defend his own. province. An insatiate thirst for con- 
quest to extend our empire beyond the means of defend- 
ing it, I fear, will be the cause of the final overthrow 
of our whole government. I lived in obscurity from 
the masses, for I did not know What those high priests 
might influence the rabble to do; yet .1 endeavored to 



194 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

ascertain as much as I could the mind and understand- 
ing of the people. 

Among the various rumors that came to my ears, 
there was one that attracted my attention in particular. 
A young man, it was said, had appeared in Galilee, 
preaching with a noble unction, a new law in the name 
of the God that had sent Him. At first I was appre- 
hensive that his design was to stir up the people against 
the Romans ; but my fears were soon dispelled. Jesus of 
Nazareth spake rather, as la friend of the Romans than 
the Jews. One day in passing 'by the place of Siloe, 
where there was a great concourse of people, I observed 
in the midst of the group a young man who was leaning 
against ia tree, calmly addressing the multitude. I was 
told it was Jesus. This I /could have suspected easily, 
so great was the difference between him and those lis- 
tening to him. His golden colored hair and beard gave 
to his appearance a celestial aspect. He appeared to be 
about thirty years of age. Never had I seen a sweeter 
or more serene countenance. What a contrast between 
him and his hearers, with their black befards and tawny 
complexions. Unwilling to interrupt him by my pres- 
ence I continued my walk, but signified to my secretary 
to join the group and listen. My secretary's name was 
Manlius. He was the grandson of the chief of the con- 
spirators who encamped in Etruria waiting for Cataline. 
Manlius was an ancient, inhabitant of Judea, and well 
acquainted with the Hebrew language. He was devoted 
to me and worthy of my confidence. On entering the 
pretorium I found Manlius, who related to me the words 
Jesus had pronounced at Siloe. Never have I read in 
the works of the philosophers any thing that can com- 
pare to the maxims of Jesus. One of the rebellious 
Jews, so numerous in Jerusalem, having asked him if 
it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar, Jesus replied: 
"Render unto Caesar the things that belong to Caesar, 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 195 

and unto God the things that are His. It was on account 
of the wisdom of his sayings that I granted so much 
liberty to the Nazarene ; for it was in my power to have 
had him arrested and exiled to Pontus ; but this would 
have been contrary to the justice which has always 
characterized the Roman government in tall her dealings 
with men. This man was neither seditious nor rebel- 
lious; I extended to him my protection, unknown per- 
haps to himself. He was at liberty to act, to speak, to 
assemble and address the people, to choose disciples, un- 
restrained by any pretorian mandate. Should it ever 
happen (may the gods ever avert the omen!), should it 
ever happen, I say, that the religion of our forefathers 
should be supplemented by the religion of Jesus, it will 
be to this noble toleration that Rome shall owe her pre- 
mature obsequies, while I, miserable wretch, shall have 
been the instrument of what the Jews called Provi- 
dence, and we call destiny. This unlimited freedom 
granted Jesus provoked the Jews, not the poor, but ':he 
rich and powerful. It is true, Jesus was severe on the 
latter, and this was a political reason, in my opinion, for 
not restraining the liberty of the Nazarene. "Scribes 
and Pharisees," he would say to them, "You are a race 
of vipers ; you resemble painted sepulchres ; you appear 
well unto men, but you have death within you." At 
other times he would sneer at the alms of the rich and 
proud, telling them that the mite of the poor was more 
precious in the sight of God. New complaints were 
daily made at the pretorium against the insolence of 
Jesus. I was even informed that some misfortune 
would befall him ; that it would not be the first time that 
Jerusalem had stoned those that called themselves pro- 
phets ; that an appeal would be made to Caesar. How- 
ever my conduct was approved by the senate, and I was 
promised a reinforcement after the termination of the 
Parthean war. 



196 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Being too weak to suppress a sedition, I resolved 
upon adopting a measure that promised to establish the 
tranquility of the city without subjecting the pretorium 
to humiliating (concessions. I wrote Jesus, requesting 
an interview with Him at the pretorium. He came. You 
know that in my veins flows the Spanish mixed with 
Roman blood — as incapable of fear as it is of puerile 
emotion. When the Nazarene made his appearance I 
was walking in my Basilic, and my feet seemed fastened 
with an iron hand to the marble pavements and I trem- 
bled in every limb as a guilty culprit, though he was 
calm; the Nazarene was as calm as innocence itself. 
When he came up to me, he stopped, and by a signal 
he seemed to say to me, "I am here ;" though he spoke 
not a word. For some time I contemplated with admir- 
ation and awe this extraordinary type of man — a type 
of man unknown to our numerous painters who have 
given form and figure to all the gods and the heroes. 
There was nothing about him that was repelling in its 
character, yet I felt awed and tremulous to approach 
him. 

"Jesus," said I unto him at last — and my tongue 
faltered — "Jesus of" Nazareth, I have granted you for 
the last three years ample freedom of speech; nor do 
I regret it. Your words are those of a sage. I know 
hot but this I know, there is in your discourses a; majes- 
tic simplicity that elevates you far above these philoso- 
phers. The Emperor is inf6rmed of it, and I, his hum- 
ble representative in this country, am glad of having 
allowed you that liberty of which you are so worthy. 
However, I must not conceal from you that your dis- 
courses have raised up against you powerful and in- 
veterate enemies. Neither is this surprising. Socrates 
had his enemies, and he fell a victim to their hatred. 
Yours are doubly incensed against you on account of 
your discourses being so severe against their conduct; 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 197 

against me on account of the liberty I have afforded 
you. They even accuse me of being indirectly leagued 
with you for the purpose of depriving the Hebrews of 
the little civil power which Rome has left them. My re- 
quest — I do not say my order — is, that you be more cir- 
cumspect and moderate in your discourses in the fu- 
ture, and more tender toward them, lest you arouse the 
pride of your enemies, and they raise against you the 
stupid populace, and compel me to employ the instru- 
ments of law." 

The Nazarene calmly replied : "Prince of the earth, 
your words proceed not from true wisdom. Say to the 
torrent to stop in the midst of the mountain gorge; it 
will uproot the trees of the valley. The torrent will an- 
swer you that it dbeys the laws of nature and the 
Creator. God alone knows whither flow the waters of 
the torrent. Verily I say unto you, before the rose of 
Sharon blossoms the blood of the just shall be spilt." 

"Your blood shall not be spilt," said I, with deep 
emotion; "you are more precious in my estimation than 
all the turbulent and proud Pharisees who abuse the 
freedom granted them by the Romans. They conspire 
against Caesar and convert his bounty into fear, impress- 
ing the unlearned that Caesar is a tyrant and seeks their 
ruin. Insolent wretches, they are not aware that the 
wolf of the Tiber sometimes clothes himself with the 
skin of the sheep to accomplish his wicked ends. I will 
protect you against them. My pretorium shall be an 
asylum, sacred both day and night." 

Jesus carelessly shook His head and said with a 
grave and divine smile: "When the day shall have 
come, there will be no asylums for the Son of Man, 
neither in the earth nor under the earth. The asylum 
of the just is there," pointing to the heavens. "That 
which is written in the books of the prophets must be 
accomplished." 



198 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

"Young man," answered I, mildly, "You 
oblige me to convert my request into an order. The 
safety of the province, which has been confided to my 
care, requires it. You must observe more moderation 
in your discourses. Do not infringe my order. You 
know the consequences. May happiness attend you; 
farewell." 

"Prince of the world," replied Jesus, "I come not 
to bring war into the world, but peace, love and charity. 
I was born on the same day Augustus Caesar gave peace 
to the Roman world. Persecutions proceeded from me. 
I expect it from others, and will meet it in obedience 
to the will of my Father who has shown me the way. 
Restrain, therefore, your worldly prudence. It is not in 
your power to arrest the victim at the foot of the taber- 
nacle of expiation." 

So saying, he disappeared like a bright shadow be- 
hind the curtains of the B'asilic. To Herod who then 
reigned in Galilee, the enemies of Jesus addressed 
themselves, to wreak their vengeance on the Nazarene. 
Had Herod 'Consulted his inclinations he would have 
ordered Jesus immediately to be put to death; but 
though proud of his royal dignity, yet he was afraid of 
committing an act that might diminish his influence 
with the Senate, or, like me, was afraid of Jesus him- 
self. But it would never do for a Roman officer to be 
scared by a Jew. Previous to this, Herod called on me 
at the pretorium, and, on rising to take leave, after 
some insignificant conversation, asked me what was my 
opinion concerning the Nazarene. I replied that Jesus 
appeared to me to be one of those great philosophers 
that great nations sometimes produced; that his doc- 
trines are by no means sacrilegious, and that the inten- 
tions of Rome were to leave him that freedom of speech 
which was justified by his actions. Herod smiled ma- 
liciously, and, saluting me with an ironical respect, de- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 199 

parted. The great feast of the Jews was approaching, 
and the intention was to avail themselves of the popu- 
lar exultation, which always manifests itself at the 
solemnities of a passover. The city was overflowing 
with a tumultuous populace clamoring for the death of 
the Nazarene. My emissaries informed me that the 
treasurer of the temple had been employed in bribing 
the people. The danger was pressing. A Roman cen- 
turion had been insulted. I wrote to the prefect of 
Syria for a hundred foot soldiers and as many cavalry. 
He declined. I saw myself alone with a handful of 
veterans in the midst of a rebellious city, too weak to 
suppress a disorder, and having no other choice left but 
to tolerate it. They had seized upon Jesus. And the 
seditious rabble, although they had nothing to fear from 
the pretorium, believing, as their leaders had told them, 
that I winked at their sedition — continued vociferating: 
"Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" Three powerful parties 
had combined together at that time against Jesus : First, 
the Herodians and the Sadducees, whose seditious con- 
duct seemed to have proceeded from double motives; 
they hated the Nazarene and were impatient of the 
Roman yoke. They could never forgive me for having 
entered the holy city with banners that bore the image 
of the Roman Emperor; and although in this instance 
I had (committed a fatal error, yet the sacrilege did not 
appear less heinous in their eyes. Another grievance 
also rankled in their bosoms. I had proposed to employ 
a part of the treasure of the temple in erecting edifices 
for public utility. My proposal was scorned. The Phar- 
isees were the avowed enemies of Jesus. They cared 
not for the government. They bore with bitterness the 
severe reprimands which the Nazarene for three years 
had been continually throwing out against them where- 
ever he went. Too weak and pusillanimous to act by 
themselves, they had embraced the quarrels of the Her- 



200 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

odians and the Sadducees. Besides these three parties,. 
T had to contend against the reckless and profligate 
populace, always ready to join a sedition, and to profit 
by the disorder and confusions that resulted therefrom. 
Jesus was dragged before the high priest, and con- 
demnned to death. It was then that the high priest, Cai- 
aphas, performed a divisory act of submission. He sent 
his prisoner to me to pronounce his condemnation and 
secure his execution. I answered him that as Jesus was 
a Galilean, the affair came in Herod's jurisdiction, and 
ordered him to be sent hither. The wily Tetrarch pro- 
fessed humility, and, protesting his preference to the 
Lieutenant of Caesar, he committed the fate of the 
man to my hands- Soon my palace assumed the aspect of 
a besieged citadel. Every moment increased the number 
of the seditionists. Jerusalem was inundated with 
crowds from the mountains of Nazareth. All Judea ap- 
peared to be pouring into the devoted city. 

I had taken a wife from among the Gauls who had 
pretended to see into futurity. Weeping and throwing 
herself at my feet, "Beware," said she to me, "beware 
and touch not that man; for he is holy. Last night I 
saw him in a vision. He was walking on the waters; 
he was flying on the wings of the wind. He spoke to 
the tempest, and to the fishes of the lake; all were obe- 
dient to him. Behold the torrent in Mount Kedron flows 
with blood, the statues of Caesar are filled with gemonide ; 
the columns of the interium have given away, and the 
sun is veiled in mourning like a vestal in the tomb. Ah! 
Pilate, evil awaits thee. If thou wilt not listen to the 
vows of thy wife, dread the curse of a Roman Senate ; 
dread the frowns of Caesari." 

By this time the marble stairs groaned under the 
weight of the multitude. The Nazarene was brought 
back to me. I proceeded to the halls of justice, followed 



HISTORY OF THE' CHURCH 201 

by my guard, and asked the people in a severe tone What 
they demanded. 

"The death of the Nazarene," was the reply. 

"For what crime?" 

"He has blasphemed ; he has prophesied the ruin of 
the temple ; he calls himself the Son of God, the Messiah, 
the king of the Jews !" 

"Roman justice," said I, "punishes not such offenses 
with death.' 

"Crucify 'him! Griuicify him!" belched forth the re- 
lentless rabble- The vociferations of the infuriated mob 
shook the palace to its foundations. There was but one 
who appeared to be calm in the midst of the vast multi- 
tude; it was the Nazarene. After many fruitless at- 
tempts to protect him from the fury of his merciless 
persecutors, I adopted a measure which at the moment 
appeared to me to be the only one that could save his 
life. I proposed, as it was theirs custom to deliver a 
prisoner on such occasions, to release Jesus and let him 
go free, that He might fee the scapegoat, as they call it; 
but they said Jesus must be crucified. I then appealed 
to them. as to the inconsistency of their course as being 
incompatible with their laws, showing that no criminal 
judge could pass sentence on a criminal unless he had 
fasted one whole day ; and that sentence must have the 
consent of the Sanhedrim, and the signature of the 
president of that court; that no criminal could be exe- 
cuted on the same day his sentence was fixed, and the 
next day, on the day of his execution, the Sanhedrim 
was required to review the whole proceeding; also, ac- 
cording to their law, a man was standing at the door 
of the court with a flag, and another a piece off on 
horseback to cry the name of the criminal and his 
crime, and the name of his witnesses, and to know if 
anyone can testify anything in his favor : and the pris- 
• oner, on his way to execution, had the right to turn 



202 ' HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

back three times, and to plead any new thing in his 
favor. I urged all these pleas, hoping they might awe 
them into subjection; but they still cried, "Crucify Him! 
Crucify Him!" I then ordered him to be scourged 
hoping this might satisfy them; but it only increased 
their fury. I then called for a basin, and washed my 
hands in the presence of the clamorous multitude, thus 
testifying that in my judgment Jesus of Nazareth had 
done nothing worthy of death, but in vain ; it was his 
life these wretches thirsted for. 

Often in our civil commotions have I witnessed the 
fury, animosity of the multitude, but nothing could be 
compared to what I witnessed on this occasion. It 
might have been truly said that on this occasion all 
the phantoms of the infernal regions had assembled at 
Jerusalem. The crowd appeared not to walk, but to be 
borne off and whirled as a vortex, rolling along in liv- 
ing waves from the portals of the pretorium even unto 
Mount Zion, with howling screams, shrieks and vocifera- 
tions such as were never heard in the seditions of the 
Pannonia, or in the tumult of the forum. By degrees 
the day darkened like a winter's twilight, ouch as had 
been at the death of the great Julius Caesar. It was 
likewise the ides of March. I, the continued governor 
of a rebellious province, was leaning against a column 
of my Basilic, contemplating athwart the dreary gloom 
these fiends of Tartarus dragging to execution the inno- 
cent Nazarene. AH around me was deserted. Jerusa- 
lem had vomited forth her indwellers through the fu- 
neral gate that leads to Gemonica. An air of desolation 
and sadness enveloped me. I was left alone, and my 
breaking heart admonished me that what was passing at 
that moment appertained rather to the history of the 
gods than that of men. A loud clamor was heard pro- 
ceeding from Golgotha, which borne on the winds, 
seemed to announce an agony such as was never heard 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 203 

by mortal ears. Dark clouds lowered over the pinnacle 
of the temple, and settling over the city, covered it as 
with a veil. So dreadful were the signs that men saw 
iboth in the heavens and on the earth, that Dionysius, the 
Areopagite, is reported to have exclaimed : "Either the 
author of nature is suffering, or the universe is falling 
apart." Whilst these appalling scenes of nature were 
transpiring, there was a dreadful earthquake in lower 
Egypt, Which filled everybody with fear, and scared 
the superstitious Jews almost to death. It is said Bal- 
thasar, an aged and learned Jew of Antioch, was found 
dead after the excitement was over. Whether he died 
from alarm or grief is not known. He was a strong 
friend of the Nazarene. 

Towards the first hour of the night I threw my 
mantle around me, and went down into the city towards 
the gates of Golgotha. The sacrifice was consummated. 
The crowd was returning home, still agitated, it is true, 
but gloomy, taciturn and desperate. What they had 
witnessed had stricken them with terror and remorse. I 
also saw my little Roman cohort pass by mournfully, the 
standard bearer having veiled his eagle in token of 
grief ; and I overheard some of the Jewish soldiers mur- 
muring strange words I did not understand. , Others 
were recounting prodigies almost similar to those which 
had so often smitten the Romans by the will of the 
gods. Sometimes groups of men and women would halt, 
then, looking back toward Mount Cavalry, would remain 
motionless in expectation of witnessing some new prod- 
igy.' I returned to the pretorium sad and pensive. On 
ascending the stairs, the steps of which were still 
stained with the blood of the Nazarene I perceived an 
old man in a suppliant posture, and behind him several 
Romans in tears. He threw himself at my feet and 
wept most bitterly. It is painful to see an old man weep, 
and my heart already overcharged with grief, we, 



204 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

though strangers, mutually wept together. And in 
truth it seemed that the tears lay very shallow that day 
with very many whom I perceived out of the vast con- 
course of people. T never saw such a complete 
division of feeling, both on the extreme. Those 
that betrayed and sold him, those that testified 
against him, and said, "Crucify Him,* we have his 
blood," all slunk off, cowardly curs, and washed their 
teeth with vinegar. As I am told Jesus, taught a resur- 
rection and a separation after death, if such should be 
the fact I am sure it commenced in this vast crowd. 

"Father, said I to him, after gaining control of 
my feelings, "who are you, and what is your request?" 

"I am Joseph of Arimathea," replied he "and am 
come to beg of you upon my knees the permission to 
bury Jesus of Nazareth." 

"Your prayer is granted," said I unto him; and 
at the same time ordered Manlius to take some soldiers 
with him to superintend the -interment lest it should be 
profaned. 

A few days after the sepulcher was found empty. 
His disciples published all over the country that Jesus 
had risen from the dead, as he had foretold. This last 
report created more excitement than the first. As to 
its truth I cannot say for certain, but I have made some 
investigation in the matter; ,so you can examine for 
yourself, and see if I am in fault, as Herod represents 
me. Joseph buried Jesus in his own tomb. Whether 
he contemplated his resurrection or calculated to cut 
him another, I can not tell. The next day after he was 
buried one of the priests came to the pretorium and said 
they were apprehensive that his disciples intended to 
steal the body of Jesus and hide it, and then make it ap- 
pear that the had riseni from the dead, as he had fore- 
told, and of which they were perfectly convinced. I sent 
him to the captain of the royal guard (Malcus) to tell 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 205 

him to take the Jewish soldiers, place as many around 
the sepulcher as were needed; then if anything should 
happen they would blame themselves, and not the Ro- 
man. When the great excitement arose about the 
sepulcher 'being found empty, I felt a deeper solicitude 
than ever. I sent for Malcus, who told me he had 
placed his lieutenant, Ben Isham. with one hundred sol- 
diers around the sepulcher. He told me that Isham and 
the soldiers were very much alarmed at what had oc- 
curred there that morning. I sent for this man Isham, 
who related to me as near as I can remember the fol- 
lowing circumstances: He said at about the beginning 
of the fourth watch they saw a soft and beautiful light 
over the sepulcher. He at first thought that the women 
had come to embalm the body of Jesus, -as was their, 
custom, ibut he could not see how they had gotten 
through the guards. Whilst these reflections were pass- 
ing through his mind, behold the whole place was lighted 
up, and there seemed to be crowds of the dead in their 
grave clothes. All seemed to be shouting and filled with 
ecstacy, while all around and above was the most beau- 
tiful music he had ever heard ; and the whole air seemed 
to be full of voices praising God. At this time there 
seemed to be a reeling and swimming of the earth, so 
that he turned so sick and faint that he could not stand 
on his feet. He said the earth seemed to swim from 
under him, and his senses left him, so that he knew not 
what did occur. I asked him in what condition he was 
when he came to himself. He said he was lying on the 
ground with his face down. I asked him if he could not 
have been mistaken as to the light? Was it not day 
that was coming in the east? He said at first he 
thought of that, but at a stones cast it was exceedingly 
dark; and then he remembered it was too early for day. 
I asked him if his dizziness might not have come from 
being awakened and getting up too suddenly, as it 



206 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

sometimes had that effect? He said he was no.t, and 
had not been asleep all night, as the penalty was death 
for him to sleep on duty. He said he had let some of 
the soldiers sleep at a time. Some were asleep then. I 
asked him how long the scene lasted? He said he did 
not know, but he thought nearly one hour. He said it 
was hid by the light of day. I asked him if he went to 
the sepulcher alter he had come to himself? He said 
not, because he was afraid; that just as soon as (relief 
came they all went to their quarters. I asked him if he 
had been interrogated by the high priests? He said he 
had • They wanted him to say it was an earthquake, 
and to say they were asleep, and offered him money to 
tell that the disciples came and stole him; but he saw 
no disciples; he did not know that the body was gone 
until told so. I asked what was the private opinion of 
those priests he had conversed with? He said some of 
them thought that Jesus was no man; that he was not 
a human being ; that he was not the son of Mary ; that he 
was not the same that was said to be born of the virgin 
in Bethlehem; that the same person had been with 
Abraham and Lot, and at many times and places. 

It seems to me if the Jewish theory be true, these 
conclusions would be correct, for, to sum up his life, it 
would be in accord with this man's life, as is known and 
testified by both friends and foes; for the elements 
were no more in his hands than the clay in the hands 
of the potter. He could (convert water into wine ; He 
could change death into life; disease into health; he 
could calm the seas, still the storms, call up a fish with 
a silver coin in its mouth. Now, I say, if he could do 
all these things — which he did, and many more, as the 
Jews all testify — and it was doing these things that 
created this enmity against him; he was not charged 
with criminal offenses, nor was he charged with violat- 
ing any law, nor of wrong doing any individual in per- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 207 

son; all these facts are known to thousands, as well 
by his foes as by his friends ; so I am almost ready to 
say, as did Manlius at the cross, "Truly this was the 
Son of God." 

Now, noble sovereign, this is as near the facts in 
the case as >I can arrive at them, and I have taken this 
pains to make the statement more full so that you may 
judge of my conduct upon the whole, as I hear that 
Antipater has said many hard things of me in this mat- 
ter. With the promise of faithfulness, and good wishes 
to my noble sovereign, I am your most obedient servant, 
Pontus Pilate!. — Copied from Advocate of Truth. 

MY EXPERIENCE AND CALL TO THE MINISTRY. 

Through respect, and association with certain of 
my schoolmates in May, 1875, I attended a Methodist 
meeting, going up to the altar to be prayed for and try- 
ing to get religion as I then thought; but failing, as I 
deserved, i' went on in this desolate state seven years, 
when I hope the Lord revealed His presence and mani- 
festation of the Comforter to me, the poor sinner. 
There was a great affliction of sorrow came upon me — 
or sent upon me, I do not know which — that caused me 
to pray in the distress and grief of my soul, asking the 
Lord for mercy ; feeling that to die was my doom, and 
seeing the justice in my condemnation. I thought it 
looked right for me to die for a just punishment and 
that I could love God and worship Him anywhere or in 
any place if He would show me the way and how and 
where He was. i My sleep had gone, my rest was taken 
from me, my friends were gone, the world was dark to 
me, there was nothing here to cheer me, my gravers 
accomplished me little, nothing could satisfy me. I went 
on in this way about three days, going round after round 
plowing, saying, "Lord be merciful to me a poor sin- 
ner," at last falling on my face in the stubble ground, 



208 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

and seeming for a while to be in the darkest despair of 
soul, even in perdition itself; but while in this condition, 
.these words came into my mind, "My grace is sufficient 
for thee; in weakness I am made strength-" I could 
rot longer stay, I rose to praise the Lord. My poor 
little soul was running over with love to God, shouts of 
praise to His sweet name. I thought Jesus was the 
sweetest name I ever heard, and "Amazing Grace" was 
the sweetest song I ever heard sung. I thought every 
thing had a different appearance and I could not stay. 
I went home to tell my dear mother the glad tidings, as 
I thought she would know if mine was an experience of 
grace. She said she thought it was, and said, "I have 
prayed for you." Mother has prayed for us when we 
never knew it. 

Now I will relate just a little of the experience of 
Job, Jeremiah, Solomon,, Ezekiel, Jonah, Paul, and John. 
Job said, "When I say My bed shall comfort me, my 
couch shall ease my complaint; then thou scarest me 
with dreams and terriflest me through visions: so that 
my soul chooseth strangling and death rather than my 
life. I loathe it." 

Jeremiah said, "Oh that my head were waters, 
and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep 
day and night for the slain of the daughter of my 
people." 

Solomon said, "By night on my bed I sought him 
whom my soul loveth:" and went "about the city in the 
•streets," and met the "watchmen that go about the 
city," "to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul lov- 
eth ? It was 'but a little that I passed from them ; but 
I found him, whom my soul loveth: I held him and 
would not let him go until I brought him into my 
mother's house." 

Ezekiel said. He bowed him down and shone 
.around him as the rainbow in the cloud. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 209 

Jonah said when he thought he was out of the 
Lord's sight, he turned and looked again towards His 
holy temple. He cried by reason of his affliction and 
the Lord heard his prayer, for his cry went unto Him*. 
The weeds were wrapped about his head ; when his soul 
fainted within him he remembered the Lord- 

Paul said the light shone around him above the 
brightness of the noon day's sun; and "I was not dis- 
obedient unto the heavenly vision." 

St. John saith, "We know that we have passed 
from death unto life because we love the brethren." 

•I have waked many times in the night shedding 
tears and dreaming dreams. I went home to tell my 
mother, as did Solomon. I was bowed down, as was 
Ezekiel. I was in the stubble in November, 1882, with 
my face on the ground. The weeds were wrapped about 
my head, as they were that of Jonah in the deep sea of 
affliction. It was a cloudy day, yet I thought it was a 
bright day, a day as the rainbow in the cloud. The 
glory of the Lord in my heart shone around me as the 
brightness above, the noonday sun. Now I love the 
things I once hated and hate the things I once loved. 
I once hated the brethren; but now I love them. When 
I found the experience of these ancient saints, and that 
they had mine in theirs, already told by inspiration; 
like the old prophet, when I said I would not go and 
speak in His name, "His word was in mine heart like a 
burning fire shut up in my bones," "and I could not 
stay." I saw a book in a hand and a light flashing 
around it three times on the ceiling in a dream, and I 
reading it in my sleep before I tried to preach to any 
one ' except myself ; for I would oftimes wake up 
in my sleep, preaching and reading- to myself in 
sleep. In Ezekiel and in John it was said "Eat the 
book," and it was bitter, lamentations and woe; but 
when I ate it, it was in my mouth as honey for sweet- 



210 HISTORY OF THE ■CHURCH ' 

ness. It was bitter in learning it ; but sweet in telling 
it. I joined the Methodist church, stayed with them 
five years. When the burden of the word of the Lord 
came to me to preach, I went to the Primitive Baptists 
to tell them my experience and feelings and impressions 
and dreams as you will see (Subject Dreams) . My im- 
pressions were to preach election, predestination and the 
final preservation of the saints in grace. I never 
preached while with the Methodists; but was liberated 
as soon as I went to the Primitive Baptists in 1903, and 
exercised my gift in a public way in the church of this 
faith and order for six years and then I was ordained 
to the full work of the ministry of the Primitive Bap- 
tist faith; I was examined by Elder J. T. Blanchard. 
Elder J. D. Huddleston delivered the charge, Elders J. 
T. Blanchard, Lytle Burns and J. D. Huddleston, pres- 
bytery. Done at McKey's Creek, church, New Hope 
association, Prentiss county, Mississippi, second Sunday 
in September, A. D. 1909. 

BAPTISTS IN MISSISSIPPI, 1853. 

Previous to 1785, a few families had immigrated 
from South Carolina and settled near Natchez, which 
was then a Spanish province. Some of these were regu- 
lar Baptists. Driven from their native state by the pres- 
sure of the Revolution, they sought a peaceful home 
in the wilderness, far away from the tumults of war. 
But even here, they soon found, that they had not 
passed the bounds, of the great enemy of peace — "All 
that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer perse- 
cution ;" and here they suffered persecution, through the 
instrumentality of nominal Christians. Those who pro- 
fessed to be followers of the meek and lowly Jesus, be- 
came the instruments of Satan, to vent his bitter spite 
against the Regular Baptists. And what fori? Was it 
for sedition against the civil authorities? No. Was it 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 211 

for immoral conduct? No. It was for nothing more 
nor less than what the Catholic priest was pleased to 
consider heresy in religion. A regular Baptist licen- 
tiate, in the year above mentioned, mounted the ros- 
trum, and declared publicly to the surrounding country, 
the plan of salvation by grace ; and preached the pure 
and gentle doctrine of the gospel. Thus affairs moved 
on till 1793, when the High Priest, like Demetrius of 
old, began to take the alarm, thinking that his craft was 
in danger by the .propagation and growth of such hereti- 
cal principles." ^ The reverend ecclesiastic commanded 
silence and implicit obedience to the Catholic religion. 
Finding his edict disregarded by the Baptists, he had 
recourse to the civil authority to suppress such heresy. 

Accordingly, "Richard Curtis" (the Baptist Licen- 
tiate), was denounced as an "incorrigible heretic," with 
all his adherents; and consequently, if these five were 
subsequently "found together, in a religious capacity, 
they should be put in confinement." 

In 1794 said Curtis returned to South Carolina, 
where he was ordained to the ministry by the Regular 
Baptists. His preaching in the Natchez country had 
so aroused the resentment of the Catholics, that, during 
his absence,, they seized several of his adherents and cast 
them into prison. Elder Curtis now returned to his 
brethren and friends, fully authorized to fill the differ- 
ent functions of the gospel, ,as ,a minister of Christ. This 
will bring us up to 1795, when the United States nego- 
tiated with Spain for this territory. The negotiation 
being announced, and popish fetters broken, there was 
nothing to fear from that quarter. In this same year 
Elder Curtis, acting the part of an under-shepherd, 
gathered the few scattered sheep to the fold, when 
they were constituted into a church on the old regular 
predestinarian plan, by the name of "Salem Church, on 
Cole's Creek, in Jefferson County, Mississippi" 



212 HI/STORY OF THE CHURCH 

"There were seven men and' women who went into 
the organization of the church. Given in the order in 
which they occur, they were : Richard Curtis, William 
Thomas, William Curtis, John Jones, Benjamin Curtis, 
Margaret Stampley and Ealiff Lanier. Richard Curtis 
is designated on their written record as their chosen 
pastor and William Thomas as their recording clerk." — 
Leavell and Bailey's History of Mississippi Baptists, 
Vol IT. page 1522. 

Immigration now began to come in rapidly from 
South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, among whom 
were many Regular Baptists, some of whom were or- 
dained ministers. In 1797, New Hope Church on Second 
Creek, near Natchez, was constituted, on the same prin- 
ciples as Salem church. In 1803-04, they were blessed 
with a "great revival in religion, under the preaching 
of Elder Thomas Mercer and others," which led to the 
constitution of other churches. It will be necessary, 
here, to take some notice of Dr. James Mullen, a Bap- 
tist preacher, who moved into the territory about 1797. 
The doctor preached and contended for the general 
atonement system, which was so contrary to Regular 
Baptist doctrine, and the articles of faith, on which the 
Baptist churches in the territory had been constituted, 
that he was unable to obtain membership. He however, 
succeeded in drawing away from the churches some 
followers. But, after an unavailing effort for several 
years, not being able to realize his expectations, he left 
the territory, without ever constituting his adherents 
into a church. 

"The foregoing information was obtained princi- 
pally from the writings of Joseph Erwin, who was born 
in Rowan County, North Carolina, in 1774, and emi- 
grated to the vicinity of Natchez, in 1783. He was a 
member of the first Baptist church ever constituted in 
the Mississippi territory, and was a delegate for forming 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 213 

the first Association. He has been a member ever since, 
and is now living in Holmes County, and enjoying as 
good health as is usual for his age." 

Before taking up the Associational minutes, we will 
give place to an extract from one of his letters, written 
in 1839. "When, alas, the enemy began to make inroads 
upon us, by sending. us young theologians from the acad- 
emies as missionaries, who came in among us, and said 
we are of you; and the poor old regulars not being al- 
ways at their post, with unsuspecting simplicity received 
them into their arms, their bosoms, their pulpits, and 
dandled them on the knee; there being a train of them 
from the up country, all things appeared to go on well 
until those visitors had got well into the hearts and 
affections of the churches, and began to be looked up to 
as men of considerable weight and talent. Then it was 
that they began to vomit out their heterodoxical senti- 
ments in all its multifarious forms. Campbellism was 
what they appeared to advocate most strenuously, after 
they had gained weight and influence in the churchea 
And now, brethren, it is a fact, that churches whicK 
wiere in good standing, and apparently in good health, 
were torn to pieces, and have never regained their 
former standing. And not only Churches but associa- 
tions; the Mississippi and Union, have been powerfully 
shaken with these seeds of (Corruption ; and though those 
men are gone, yet the fruits of their baneful and heter- 
odoxical sentiments have been left behind, as a lasting 
memorial of their deception. And now, brethren, this 
reminds me of what the Apostle Paul saith, that after 
his departure wolves should enter in among them (the 
churches) not sparing the flock, but scattering, and lead- 
ing or drawing away disciples after them. 

"Another Babel, or castle built in the air, was the 
Mississippi Baptist State Convention; when and where 
all the ehurdhes 'belonging to the different Associations 



214 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

must annually send up their delegates, with their 
pecuniary remittances to support theological schools, for 
the purpose of (educating young men in and for the min- 
istry. After the same had progressed a little, and got 
so it looked like it might stand on its legs, its features 
and forms could -be more minutely discerned. And then 
the old Regulars, or some of them, did not like its 
shape. They saw the impropriety of such a line of con- 
duct — that it was not congenial with or to the gospel 
plan — believing that God called and qualified his minis- 
ters for and to the work. And now down comes the 
building to the ground, because it could not live without 
money. The old school boys being now twice hit, began 
to be a little more on their guard, and to stand aloof 
from things whidh they did not understand. 

From some parts of the state, in pours the general 
atonement doctrine, with its multifarious doctrines, that 
Christ tasted death for every man equally alike, that 
all mankind are in savable state. The old Regulars op- 
posed that doctrine strenuously, believing it to be false 
when weighed in the balance of the sanctuary. The 
missionary system, with all its multifarious train, was 
pressed upon the churches. But the old Regulars can- 
not submit to such measures, not believing them to be 
apostolic. 

My remarks turn particularly to the above men- 
tioned Association. There are others of recent date, 
where the isms prevail abundantly, with their gigantic 
strides. The Primitive Baptist Association to which I 
belong has closed her doors against the above train of 
speculative notions, or moneyed institutions of the day; 
and I hope the day is not far distant, when all God's 
dear children wi!ll listen with attention to that solemn 
and pathetic invitation, 'Come out of her, my people'." 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 215 

Mssuserppi association. 

In July, 1807, several churches met, by delegates, at 
Salem, in Jefferson county, and agreed to form them- 
selves into an Association; and that each church ap- 
point delegates meet at Bethel in Wilkinson county, 
in .September, 1807. Accordingly the delegates, then 
and there, constituted the Mississippi Baptist Associa- 
tion. 

Preamble : — We, the churches of Jesus Christ, who 
have been regularly baptized upon a profession of our 
faith, are convinced of the necessity of a combination # of 
churches, and of maintaining a correspondence, for the 
preserving a federal union amongst all the churches of 
the same faith and order. We therefore, do agree to 
unite and form ourselves into an Association upon the 
following principles, namely: 

ARTICLES OF FAITH. 

1. We believe in one only true and living God, and 
that there is a trinity of persons in the God-head, the 
Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, the same in es- 
sence, equal in power and glory. 

2. We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New 
Testaments were given by inspiration of God; are of 
divine authority, and the only rule of faith and prac- 
tice. 

3. We believe in the fall of Adam; in the im- 
putation of his sin to all his posterity; in the total de- 
pravity of human nature; and in man's inability to re- 
store himself to the favor of God. 

4. We believe in the everlasting love of God to His 
people ; in the eternal unconditional election of a definite 
number of the human family to grace and glory. 

5. We ibelieve that sinners are only justified in the 
sight of God, iby the imputed righteousness of Jesus 



216 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Christ; which is unto all, and upon all them that be- 
lieve. 

6. We believe all those who were chosen in Christ, 
before the foundation of the world, are in time effec- 
tually called, regenerated, converted and sanctified; and 
are kept by the power of God, through faith unto sal- 
vation. 

7. We believe there is one mediator between God 
and men, the man Christ Jesus, who by the satisfaction 
which He made to law and justice, in becoming an offer- 
ing for sin, hath by His most precious blood, redeemed 
the 1 elect from under the curse of the law, that they 
might be holy and without blame, before Him in love. 

8. We believe good works are the fruits of faith, 
and follow after justification; are evidences 1 of a gra- 
cious state; and that it is the duty of believer^ to per- 
form them from a principle of love. 

9. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, and 
a general judgment, and that the happiness of the 
righteous, and the punishment of the wicked will be 
eternal. 

ON GOSPEL ORDER. 

1- We believe that the visible church of Jesus 
Christ, is a congregation of faithful persons who have 
given themselves up to the Lord, and to each other, and 
have covenanted to keep up a Godly discipline, agreeably 
to the rules of the gospel. 

2. We believe that Jesus Christ is the head of the 
Church, the only lawgiver; that the government is with 
the body, the church, and is equally the right and privi- 
lege of each member thereof. 

3- We believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper 
are gospel ordinances, appointed by Jesus Christ, and 
are to be continued in the church, until His second 
coming. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 217 

4. We believe baptism (by immersion, is the only- 
Scriptural mode, and that believers are the only proper 
subjects. 

5. We believe that none but regular baptized 
church members have a right to partake of the Lord's 
supper. 

6. We believe it to Ibe the duty, and privilege of ail 
believers, to make a pufolic profession of their faith, to 
submit to baptism by immersion, and to give themselves 
members of the visible church. 

7. We believe it to foe the duty of every regular 
organized church, to expel from her communion all dis- 
orderly members who are immoral in their lives on that 
hold doctrines contrary to the Scriptures. 

RULES OF DECORUM. 

1. Those delegates who are regularly chosen by 
the churches in our Union, shall compose the Asso- 
ciation. 

2. The delegates so chosen shall produce letters 
from their respective churches, certifying their appoint- 
ment, together with their number, in fellowship, bap- 
tized, received by letter, restored, dismissed excom- 
municated, and dead, since the last association. 

3. The delegates thus chosen and convened shall 
be denominated the Mississippi Baptist Association. 

4. This Association shall have a Moderator and 
Clerk, who shall be chosen foy the memfoers present. 

5. If new churches desire to be admitted into the 
Union, they shall petition by letter and delegates. If 
on examination,, found orthodox, and orderly, shall be 
received by the Association, and manifested by the 
Moderator giving their delegates the right hand of fel- 
lowship. 

6. No church in the Union shall have a right to 
more than two delegates, until she shall exceed one hun- 



218 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

dred members — then she shall have a right to an addi- 
tional delegate for every fifty. 

7. Every query sent to the Association, by any 
church of the Union, shall be read and put to vote by the 
Moderator, whether it shall be debated, and if there 
shall be a majority for it, it shall be taken up and in- 
vestigated : Provided, always, that those be first con- 
sidered, which affect the union of the churches. 

8. Every motion made and seconded shall be taken 
up by the Association, except it be withdrawn by the 
person who made it. 

9. Only one person shall speak at once, who shall 
rise from his seat and address the Moderator. 

10. The person thus speaking, shall not be inter- 
rupted except he depart from the subject, break the 
rules of decorum, or cast reflections on a 'brother; in 
which case he shall be immediately called to order by 
the Moderator. 

11. No person shall speak more than twice on the 
same subject, without leave of the Association. 

12. No brother shall be suffered to whisper or 
laugh during the conference; neither shall he absent 
himself without leave of the Moderator. 

13. The Moderator shall have the liberty of speak- 
ing on any question that may be debated, provided the 
chair be previously filled ; and have the privilege of vot- 
ing, only when the Association is equally divided. 

14. The names of the delegates shall be enrolled by 
the clerk, and called over as often as the Association 
may deem expedient. 

15. We think it absolutely necessary to have an 
Association fund, for defraying the expenses of the 
same — for the raising and supporting of which, we 
think it the duty of each church in the Union to con- 
tribute such sums as they may deem proper, and send 
by the hands of their delegates to the Association — and 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 219 

the money thus contributed by the churches shall be de- 
posited in the hands of a Treasurer, appointed by the 
Association, who shall be accountable to the Association, 
for all moneys by him received and paid out, according 
to the direction of the same. 

16. The minutes of the Association shall be read, 
(and corrected, if necessary), and signed by the Modera- 
tor and clerk, before the Association rises. 

17. These rules of decorum and gospel order, may 
be altered, changed or amended, from time to time, or 
any part of them, wOien a majority of all the churches 
in the Association shall dem it necessary — Ibut the Arti- 
cles of Faith shall not be subject to any alteration, only 
as it respects form. 

POWERS OF THE ASSOCIATION. 

1. It shall be the business of the Association to 
provide for the general union of the churches. 

2. To keep up a friendly correspondence, when 
convenient, with those Associations of the same faith 
and order. 

3. This Association shall have no power to lord 
it over God's heritage, nor to infringe upon any of the 
internal rights of the churches. 

4. It shall be the duty of this Association to give 
the churches the best in their power in difficult matters 
— to inquire into any difficulties which may exist be- 
tween sister churches, and remove them if possible. 

5. To admit any of the brethren in the ministry 
as assistants, but not to give them the privilege of 
voting. 

6. This Association shall have power to withdraw 
f^om any church in the Union, who may be unsound m 
principle, or immoral in practice, until reclaimed. 

7. To appoint any person or persons, by and with 
their consent, to transact any business which the Asso- 
ciation may deem necessary. 



220 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

8. The Association shall have power to adjourn to 
any time or place they may think most proper. 

9. The Association shall be opened and closed by 
prayer. 

EXTRACT FROM THE MINUTES. 

Query. — What steps would be most advisable to 
take with the members of our society, whose treatment 
of their slaves is unscriptural? 

Answer. — We recommend to the several churches, 
belonging to our connection, to take notice of any im- 
proper treatment, of their members, towards their 
slaves, and' deal with them in brotherly love, according 
to the rules of the gospel. 

Query — What Shall be done with members of our 
society who live in the constant neglect of family wor- 
ship? 

Answer. — We recommend to the heads of families 
in our connection, to keep up family worship, as a 
Christian duty; and where they do not, that gospel 
steps be taken, in order that they may be reclaimed.* 

Query. — Shall the ordination of a minister of the 
gospel, who may become a member of the Baptist 
church, be considered valid, who was ordained by men 
not in our connection? 

Answered in the negative. 

Query. — Is a 'brother under obligation in all cases 
of private offense, to go to his brother, and tell him his 
fault? 

Answered in the affirmative. 

Query. — Is it consistent with gospel order to receive 
testimony from persons of good character, not of our 
connection, against a church member? 

Answered in the affirmative. 

*This is the only instance in forty-odd years that the subject 
is named. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 221 

Query. — (from the Bayou Pierre Church) — Is the 
washing of the saints' feet a Christian duty? 

Answered in the affirmative. 

Query. — (From Ebenezer Church) — How should a 
church act that has an ordained minister among them, 
and who refuses to preach ? 

Answer. — We advise the church at Ebenezer to call 
in help to assist them in their difficulties. 

Query. — (from two churches-) — "What course shall 
a church take when an excommunicated person from a 
distant church applies for f elloswhip ?" 

Answer. — In all such cases churches must act dis- 
cretionally. 

Query. — That in certain cases where two ministers 
should be called by a dhurch to assist in the ordination 
of a minister, and it should afterwards appear, that one 
of said ministers was not at the time in good standing, 
as an orderly member of any church, shall the ordina- 
tion of the minister so ordained be considered valid? 

On the question being taken up it was carried in 
the affirmative. 

Query. — Is it best to have church conferences in 
public or private? 

Answer. — In public. 

Query — (From the Bayou Pierre Church.) — Should 
a brother be held in fellowship, who prefers the rights 
and privileges of the Masonic Lodge to the communion 
of his church? 

Answer. — No. 

Query .- — (From Zion Hill.) — "Has a church any 
"claim" on an excommunicated person? 

Answer — None. 

(2.) — Shall a church be deemed censurable, in 
the reception of an individual excluded from any sister 
church? 

Answer. — The excommunicated person should give 



222 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

suitable satisfaction to the church, which excluded him, 
'before he can be consistently received by a sister church. 

Query — (From New Hope.) — Has a church the 
power of ordaining- a pastor or elder, without calling 
the assistance of an elder or elders from another church 
or churches? 

Answer. — No. 

Query — (From Salem Church.) — What will amount 
to heresy in a Baptist church, from a scriptural point 
of view ? 

Answer — A departure from any gospel doctrine is 
heresy, according to the Scriptures — the Baptists believ- 
ing that their faith is in strict conformity to the Scrip- 
tures, whatever is contrary to their faith is heresy to 
them. 

Query. — (From Half -Moon Bluff.) — Is it consistent 
with gospel order for a church to act in the reception or 
exclusion of a member — or in the administration of any 
of the ordinances of the gospel, without an ordained 
minister at her head? 

Answer. — There are certain duties and privileges 
belonging especially to the church; such as receiving 
members to fellowship, and excluding disorderly mem- 
bers from fellowship ; but the administration of baptism 
and the Lord's Supper, belong exclusively to ordained 
ministers. 

Query. — (From Ebenezer Church.) — Will gospel 
discipline take under dealings any brother for attend- 
ing the Masonic lodge as a member of that lodge, to the 
grief of his brother? 

Answered in the affirmative. 

Query. — Is it order for churches composing this 
Association to receive members into their bodies, who 
have been 'baptized by the ministry of the 'Missionary 
Baptist order, since the time that we declared an unfel- 
lowship with them, without baptizing them? 



HISTORY O'F THE CHURCH 223 

Answer. — Our opinion in council is 1 , that it is dis- 
order. 

Query. — What is a legal and valid baptism? 

Answer. — -We 'believe that baptism administered 
'by a legal and regular ordained preacher of the gospel — 
baptizing iby immersion a proper candidate, after hear- 
ing a declaration of his faith in Christ — to be a legal 
and valid baptism. 

Query. — (From the Church at Providence.) — 
Is it good order for a minister of the Baptist church to 
baptize persons out of the church, without their knowl- 
edge or approbation [of the church] ? 

Answer. — It is not good order, and should not be 
countenanced by the cburche's. 

Query. — (From Pleasant Grove Church.) — Is it 
right for a man claiming to hold and believe the faith of 
the old school Baptists, having license to exercise in pub- 
lic, and a letter of dismission, to refuse to give up said 
letter and mingle with other denominations ? 

Answer. — We think according to Scripture it flsi dis- 
order, and the churches should Tbe careful not to coun- 
tenance such characters. 

Query — (From New Chapel Church.) — Is it good 
order for a church to grant a member a letter of dis- 
mission who lives in the immediate settlement of the 
church of the same faith and order within convenient 
distance of such applicant? 

Answer. — We believe it to be good order for a 
church to grant letters in all cases to members in full 
fellowship — the church to exercise a sound discretion 
agreeable to the gospel. 

Query. — What shall this Association do with a 
church that permits her members to join and frequent 
Masonic lodges? 

Answer. — Withdraw from such a church as a dis- 
orderly member. 



224 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

"As the Baptists from whom we have separated 
have represented us as the cause of the confusion among 
the churches, we will in candor propound to them a few 
questions : 

1. Have we brought in any new thing among 
the churches? 2. Have we brought in the General Atone- 
ment? 3. Have we brought in the faith contained in 
the Encyclopedia? 4. Have we brought in the Mis- 
sionary Societies? 5. Have we brought in your Theo- 
logical Schools, together with all such like things? 6. 
Do you not know that these things are the cause of all 
the confusion that is going on all over the United 
States? 

"Surely you must have a great thirst for money, 
that you should beg it in the name of converting the 
heathen! — for if you know anything of God, you know 
this, that it is His prerogative to convert the heathen, 
or as many of them as he wants converted. And He 
holds the means in his own hands to do it, and as much 
money at His command as He wants, without yoar 
horse-leech system — crying, 'Give, give-' 

"We believe that you have among you some of the 
Primitive Baptists; to them we say, 'Come out of her 
my people/ and though like us, you may have some 
ministers and relatives whom you are loth to leave. Re- 
member Lot! What would have been his condition had 
he continued in Sodom, clinging to his relatives. 

"We shall now draw to a close, and only request 
our readers to give this an impartial perusal, and com- 
pare it with the word of God, and not to the traditions 
of man; for if you do the latter, we shall appeal to a 
higher court — and may the Lord give you understand- 
ing in all things." 

A CHAPTER ON MODERN MISSIONS. 

The paternity of the Missionary System among the 
Baptists is claimed for Mr. Fuller, by his biographer. 



HISTORY OF THiE CHURCH 225 

His new doctrine on the Atonement, as might be ex- 
pects d, caused great distress and controversity in the 
churches. And in order to give the reader a hint, re- 
specting ihis mind, and his standing among his brethren, 
previous to his 'begettting this thing, a few quotations 
from his diary, as reported by his biographer, will be 
sufficient : 

1781, April 1st. — "It seems as if the church and 
I should break each other's hearts! Tonight I have 
been but truly charged with having 'an irregular mind.' 
How heartily could I embrace death, if it pleased God 
to send it! How far are peace and happiness from 
me!" 

1785, Nov. 21st. — "Much grieved to find the spirits 
of people about the neighborhood of G hurt by con- 
troversy. I find there are several whose conversation 
almost entirely, and on ail occasions, turns on these 
subjects. It seems to be one of Satan's devices, in order 
to destroy the good tendency of any truth, to get its ad- 
vocates to hackney it out of its senses, dwelling upon it 
in every sermon or conversation, to the exclusion of 
other things. Thus the glorious doctrines of free and 
great grace have been served in the last age, and so 
have fallen sadly into disrepute. If we employ all our 
time in talking about what men ought to be and to do, 
it is likely we shall forget to put it into practice, and 
then all is over with us." The reader, if nis heart has 
been circumcised, his ears unstopped, and his eyes 
opened by "free and great grace," is now fully prepared 
to admit that Mr. Fuller was on the 21st of November, 
1785, qualified to 'be the father of some new invention. 
And accordingly about this time, we are informed by 
his biographer, the "germ of this Missionary institution 
began to exist." But it was seven years afterwards 
that it began to bear tangible fruit. The following ex- 



226 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

tracts from the memoirs of Mr. Fuller, will show his re- 
lationship : 

"In conjunction with a few individuals who had 
united with him in strenuous efforts to induce compas- 
sion on behalf of the heathen world, M(r. Fuller was, in 
the midst of his afflictions, occupied in maturing plans 
which issued in the formation of the Particular Baptist 
Society for propagating the gospel "among the heathen. 
A meeting was convened for that purpose at Kettering, 
Oct. 2, 1792, on which occasion the contributions 
amounted to £13 2s., 6d., Which then constituted the 
whole of its pecuniary resources." 

In a letter to Dr. Ryland, Mr. Fuller says, (as re- 
ported by his biographer) : "You see things of great 
consequence are in train. My heart fears while it is en- 
larged. I have this day been to Olney to converse with 
Brother Sutcliff, and to request him to go. with me to 
Leicester this day se'n-night, to conciliate the church 
there, and to sound Mrs. Gary's mind, whether she will 
go and take the family" (to the East Indies.) 

1794, Oct. 27.— (From this diary again) :— "Of late 
I have 'been greatly employed in journeying and preach- 
ing, and endeavoring to collect for the East India Mis- 
sion. I find a frequent removal from place to place, 
though good for my health, not good for my soul." 
"There was (says the biographen) at that time little or 
no precedent for the management of the affairs of such 
institutions, nor had Mr. Fuller any predilection for 
that business-like apparatus which the more extended 
concerns of the society at length imperatively demanded, 
and for the want of which they suffered during the 
latter part of his life. Besides his utter repugnance to 
that parade which has in too many instances been made 
appendage to the business of religious institutions, he 
entertained serious objections of another kind. 'Friends,' 
said he, 'talk to me about coadjutors and assistants; 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 227 

'but I know not how it is, (I find a difficulty. Our under- 
taking to India really appeared to me, on its commence- 
ment, to be somewhat like a few men, who were deliber- 
ating about the importance! of penetrating into a deep 
mine which had never before been explored. We had 
no one to guide us ; and, while we were thus deliberat- 
ing, Cary, as it were, said 'Well I will go down if you 
will hold the rope!' But before he went down, he, 
as it seemed to me, took an oath from each of us at the 
mouth of the pit ~ to this effect, that while we lived we 
should never let go the rope. You understand me. There 
was great responsibility attached to us who began the 
business." In this last sentence, Mr. Puller has no 
doubt uttered a profound truth. Who lhath required 
this missionary system at their hands? Is such a 
system set forth by precept or example in the revela- 
tion of God to man? If not, as we boldly assert, how 
dare they practice such a system in His name — profess- 
ing at the same time to take His revealed word as their 
only rule of faith and practice? Be this system what 
it may, and founded on what authority it may, it is un- 
controvertibly true, that Mr. Fuller, "in conjunction 
with a few individuals," did mature the plan, which, in 
1792 issued the formation of the "Particular Baptist 
Missionary Society." And those who deny this fact as 
a mere matter of policy, are attempting to rob Mr. Ful- 
ler of the honor justly due him, and give it to the apos- 
tles, who would not accept it were they present. Mr. 
Fuller, under a deep sense of the responsibility of the 
undertaking, expressed himself, in a letter to Dr. Ry- 
land, thus: "You see things of great consequence are 
in train- My heart fears while it is enlarged." He 
viewed the matter "somewhat like a few men, who were 
deliberating about the importance of penetrating into 
a deep mine, which had never before been explored." 
"We had no one to guide us," says Mr. Fuller, "and 



228 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

while we were deliberating, Cary, as it were, said 'Well, 
I will go down if you will hold the rope' "!!! One more 
quotation from Mr. Fuller's biography and we will pass 
on. In reply to an editor he says : "As to magazines, 
there are several to which I contribute, for the sake of 
the mission and other public interests; and, through 
such a number of objects as press upon me daily, my 
own vineyard, my own soul, my family and congregation 
are neglected." Our limits will not permit further quo- 
tations. 

Before crossing the Atlantic in search of mission- 
ary operations in our own beloved country, it would 
perhaps be we'll to notice the leading text, on which the 
New School Baptists rely, in support of their missionary 
system, viz : "Go ye into all the world and preach the 
gospel to every creature." This command was given to 
the apostles, and not to the elders of the churches. They 
are two distinct sets of officers, the former were or- 
dained by our Saviour personally; the latter by the 
Holy Ghost, instrumentally. That there is some differ- 
ence of opinion, among orthodox Baptists, relative to 
the obligation of this command, is readily conceded. 
Nevertheless, were it not for traditionary notions, on 
this subject, and were the mind strictly confined to the 
revealed word alone, the difference would no doubt van- 
ish into nothing. At all events, the Apostles did fulfill 
the command, and whether it will ever again be fulfilled, 
or not, let those who believe it, show their authority. 
"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every 
creature." — Mark xvi. 15. "If ye continue in the faith, 
grounded, and settled, and be not moved away from the 
hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which 
was preached to every creature which is under heaven." 
— Col. i- 23. "But I say have they not heard? Yes, 
verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their 
words unto the ends of the world." — Rom. x. 18. 



'HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 229 

Without involving ourselves in the controversy 
a'bout the world here meant, it is sufficient for our pur- 
pose to prove that the fulfilment of the command is as- 
serted by equal authority, and of equal length and 
breadth. It is well known to all those concerned, that 
Scriptural language often has a special and general 
meaning. As a general rule there is no objection raised. 
But as to the speciality of the command, in the sense in 
which it was given to the apostle, to go into all the 
world and preach the gospel to every creature, it never 
was required at the hands of the churches, nor the 
elders of the churches. In conclusion of this part of 
the subject, we will quote from the circular letter of the 
Primitive Baptist Association published in 1842, viz : " 

"The elders were ordained as overseers of the 
churches. And Paul says to the elders. 'I have not 
shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take 
heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock, over 
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed 
the church of God, which he hath purchased with his 
own blood.' Peter, also, in his first letter, exhorts the 
elders to Teed the flock of God which is among you, 
taking the oversight thereof, not by restraint, but will- 
ingly ; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind ; neither 
as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples 
to the flock.' Not one word from either of these in- 
spired writers, about the command laid upon the apos- 
tles, and which the apostles fulfilled. Neither can it be 
found in all the apostolic writings addressed to the 
churches. Paul tells Titus that a bishop must hold 
'Fast the faithful word, as he hath been taught, that he 
may be able, toy sound doctrine, tooth to exhort and to 
convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly 
and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the cir- 
cumcision : whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert 
whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for 



230 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

filthy lucre's sake.' They profess that they know God; 
but in works they deny him.' Though an apostle might 
officiate as an elder, we have no authority for supposing, 
that an elder may officiate as an apostle. The apostles 
were commanded to work miracles, but the elders were 
not. Some contend that the command to go into all the 
world and preach the gospel to every creature, was 
given to the apostles in a church capacity, and equally 
binding with the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. But 
we see many palpable objections to such a conclusion. 
First, we have no testimony of any organized gospel 
church before the day of Pentecost. Second, supposing 
the apostles were organized into a church, at the time 
they received the command to go into all the world and 
preach the gospel, and by analogy made binding on all 
church members, then, according to this hypotheses, all 
should go, men and women; or, do what is less possible, 
show gospel authority for sending substitutes. Again: 
The Comforter, who was to lead Christ's people into all 
truth, directed the supper to be administered to the 
members of organized churches — but in all the letters 
to the churches, they are nowlhere commanded to 'Go 
into all the world and preach the gospel to every crea- 
ture.' Neithen was this undertaken, or practiced by the 
church at Jerusalem, or any other of the gospel churches, 
so far as we know from Divine truth." 

None were ever specially engaged under this com- 
mand, except the apostles ; and they, not as a church nor 
missionary society; but as extraordinary ministers who 
"conferred not with flesh and blood;" and were respon- 
sible to none but their Master. We would now ask every 
intelligent Christian, whether the gospel was sent to 
the heathen land of America <by a Missionary Society, 
or the providence of God? The truth is, that the Holy 
Ghost, it seems, has never .adopted any other mode than 
persecution in some shape for sending the gospel from 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 231 

one country to another. This was commenced at Jerusa- 
lem, and has been continued ever since. "Wo unto the 
world because of offences ! for it must needs be that of- 
fences come; but wo to the man by whom the offence 
cometh." 

Dr. Judson is set up, iby (his friends, as the father of 
American missions. But the reader should understand 
this in a qualified sense. M'r. Fuller is the father )f 
modern missions ; and the American missions are fash- 
ionel after the English model. Therefore, to speak of sec- 
tional missions, would seem to 'be invidious distinctions, 
wholly unjustifiable — for they are all governed by the 
same spirit. In 1812, Dr. Judson left America, a Con- 
gregational Missionary, and proceeded to Ramgoon, in 
B'urmah, and commenced operations. The next year. 
"He was adopted by a society formed among the Bap- 
tists of this country." In that year American Christians 
pledged themselves to the work of evangelizing the 
world. They had but little to rest on except the com- 
mand and promise of God. The attempts then made by 
the British Christians had not 'been attended with so 
much success as to establish the practicability, or vin- 
dicate the wisdom of the missionary enterprise. For 
many years the work advanced, but slowly. One de- 
nomination after another em'barked in the undertaking 
— and now American Missionaries are seen in almost 
every clime." The above is from the address of Dr. 
Judson, delivered, or read, in Baldwin Place, Boston, in 
June 1846 and of course will be received as apostolic 
authority, at least Iby the 'Missionaries. He calls it a 
missionary enterprise; and though it had been in opera- 
tion about twenty years, yet, its practicability had not 
been established or its wisdom vindicated. We take the 
following from the address of the President of the Forn 
eign Missionary board to Dr. Judson, at Richmond, Va. : 

"When you and your honored associates, Natt ;1 Mills 



232 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

■and Newell, presented to the General Association of 
Congregationalists, in Massachusetts, assembled in 
Bradford, in 1810, a paper expressing your desire to en- 
gage in the work of Foreign Missions, and asking their 
advice and aid, who could have anticipated the result of 
the application! At that time the churches were slum- 
ibering profoundly on the subject of Missions; there 
were no Missionary Societies, no plans matured for con- 
ducting Missions, and no funds collected for the support 
of (Missionaries. The application originated the Ameri- 
can- Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. A 
noble institution it is, superior to any in our land, and 
vying in the wisdom of its measures, and the success 
of its efforts, with the best ordered and most renowned 
Missionary organizations of the world. Its annual ex- 
penditures is not far, if at all, short of one-third of a 
million dollars ; and its mission stations have dotted al- 
most the whole extent of heathendom. Under the pat- 
ronage of this Aboard; after considerable hesitation and 
delay on their part, you embarked, with your compan- 
ion, and several associates in 1812, for the East. On 
your arrival there, an event occured deeply affecting 
your own course, and the cause of Missions. You, Mrs. 
Judson, and the lamented Rice, became Baptists. The 
hand of God was in it. The change was the means of 
arousing, among the Baptists of the United States, the 
Missionary spirit, and forming the Baptist Triennial 
Convention, under whose patronage you have so long 
labored. * * * * The success of the Missionary enter- 
prise has every where corresponded, in a remarkable 
manner, with the measure of ability, zeal and diligence 
employed in its prosecution. We base our expectations 
on the increasing prevalence of the Missionary spirit, 
When more than half a century ago, the work of Foreign 
Missons commenced (at Kettering,) among the Anglo- 
Saxon Christians, led by the immortal Cary, it was pre- 
dicted that its advocates would soon grow weary; and 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 233 

relax their efforts. The prediction has not been ful- 
filled. At no previous period has it been so much the 
settled policy and purpose of the churches to make ef- 
forts and sacrifices in the work of evangelizing the 
world, as it is now. * * * . * Henceforth, my brother, 
you and we shall labor in connection with different 
boards. Events which neither you nor we could con- 
trol, produced the separation. * * * We honor you as 
the father of American Missions." 

In the foregoing the reader will readily see, that in 
his eagerness to honor Dr. Judson, the president has 
admitted modern missions to be a new thing among the 
Baptists. And yet in the face of this, and the truth of 
history, the New School Baptists will contend, that it 
has been practiced ever since the days of the apostles. 
For the purpose of showing the estimation in which 
modern missionism was held in America in days gone 
by, we extract the following from an address of Dr. 
Judson, at Utica,, N. Y. : 

"Thirty-three years ago he took passage with an as- 
sociate missionary in a ship bound for India. No min- 
istering brother, and but few friends, dared risk their 
reputation so much as to accompany them to the ship. 
No prayers were offered on the occasion, no affection- 
ate farewells. They went down to the ship alone, crept 
into the cabin, and committed themselves to the deep. 
Now, how changed!" So do we say "how changed!" ^nd 
all the Old School Baptists throughout the United 
States say "how changed!" But the most astonishing 
thing of all is, that when Dr. Judson says "how 
changed!" the New School Baptists are ready to throw 
up their hats; and when we say the same thing, they., 
with contemptuous scowl upon their faces', will affirm 
that modern missionism is regular Baptist usage, and 
has been practiced ever since the days of the apostles. 
As great efforts have been made to cast censure upon 
the Old School party because they contend earnestly for 



234 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

the faith, we here, in the name of everything that is 
true, and just, and honorable, call upon the New School 
party to show one instance in which "Predestinarian" 
Baptists have crept into Arminian churches and at- 
tempted to draw away members after them. 

•Remarks. — Mr. Benedict received all the Old School 
Baptist periodicals published in the United States, as 
well as the minutes of many associations; in fact, he 
acknowledges, on page 936, that "A large amount of 
their documents are before me, which contain the reso- 
lutions and decrees of their churches and associations." 
And instead of publishing them, as he had promised 
to do, he suppressed them, and then asserts., on page 
935, that their history could not be obtained. He says, 
in his history that "The anti-mission movement must of 
necessity be a short-lived one. It has within itself 
the elements of its dissolution; and before my stereo- 
typed pages could reach the different parts of the 
country, to say nothing of remoter regions, it will be 
among the things that are past and forgotten." 

Well, his history has been published several years, 
and the Old School Baptists still exist, and are in at 
least as prosperous a condition, and as strongly opposed 
to missionism, as when the above prophecy was made; 
and though it may be exceedingly mortifying to Mr. 
Benedict, they will continue to exist and to oppose 
missionism, whether his stereotyped pages ever should 
reach the different parts of the country or not. This, 
then, necessarily brings up a new question ; and though 
somewhat metaphysical,, we should be pleased to have 
it solved. And that is, whether Mr. Benedict had rather 
be branded with the name of false prophet, and enjoy 
a large sale of books and a big pile of money, or that 
his "stereotyped pages could" not "reach the r^erent 
parts of the country, to say nothing of remoter regions s " 
and the truth of his prophecy stand unimpeachable. 
The Missionary leaders have been for the last half 






HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 235 

century attempting a regular siege of Babylon, in- 
tending to "carry the assault to the very gate of the 
enemy, to storm his garrison, and drive him from his 
last entrenchment." And though the great mass of 
their followers have eyes and see not what they are 
doing, yet the following extract from Mr. Benedict's 
history would seem to indicate that he, at least, had 
some glimmering view of the final result If so, in what 
condition must his conscience be, to permit him for 
filthy lucre's sake* to encourage such a state of affairs? 
Here i£ the quotation: 

"This whole subject, however, I must dismiss for 
the present, with one single remark: while Babylon is 
taken at one end a new race of Babylonians may be 
coming in at the other. The weapons of their warfare 
are mighty through money to the pulling down of 
strongholds. But the true Christian's weapons of war- 
fare are not carnal but mighty through God," etc. 
"Casting down imaginations and every high thing that 
exalteth itself against the knowledge of God. and bring- 
ing into captivity every thought to the obedience of 
Christ." It seems hard for the Missionaries to under- 
stand that the Christian warfare is drected against 
vain and foolish imaginations that are ever exalting 
something against the knowledge of God; and that the 
object of this warfare is to become reconciled to God, 
and to bring into captivity every thought to the obed- 
ience of Christ "To obey is better than sacrifice." Not- 
withstanding all the hard speeches which have been 
spoken against the O'ld School Baptists for their refus- 
ing to countenance the Missionary system, and the 
stale insinuation that coveteousness in the .cause, yet, we 
assure the reader, that such a charge is made through a 
demagogical spirit, by those who are unable to meet the 
question by legitimate arguments. Could millions of 
money be obtained from a foreign source for the sup- 
port of missions, still we should repudiate the whole 



236 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

system, as religiously filthy and unclean. And as to 
the support of the gospel ministry in a gospel manner, 
it is a part of our platform ; and if it is not done, it is 
a neglect of duty, of which we acknowledge ourselves 
guilty in many other cases. But while on the subject 
we feel authorized to say, that the Old School mnistry 
are some how or some how else better provided for than 
the New School ministry or else they are more patient 
and forbearing,, for the difference between them in beg- 
ging money is so wide and so well understood that a 
comparison is unnecessary. And as to the ministerial 
labor performed by the former, it is not uncommon for 
one Elder or preacher to attend two, three, and some- 
times four churches, besides special appointments, and 
and an occasional circuit among the churches." — Ben- 
jamin Griffin's History of Primitive Baptists 0"^ Missis- 
sippi. 

Extract from the minutes of New Hope Associa- 
tion, 1907 — Query. — Does paying dues with non-at- 
tendance to a secret order constitute membership? An- 
swered in the affirmative. 

THE PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS OF MISSISSIPPI. 

A sketch of the Primitive Baptists of Mississippi 
together with thein Constitution, Association, churches 
and their membership, showing their Articles of Faith 
and Rules of Decorum and that they have not departed 
from them; but are still contending for "The Old Way" 
and the "Faith once delivered to the saints." 
REGULAR BAPTIST ASSOCIATION- 

This association lies in north Mississippi and West 
Tennessee, and was constituted Oct. 5, 1835, with the 
following churches and delegates : 

Macedonia — Elder F. Beard and J. Whorton. Mill 
Creek— William Sills. IMt. Zion. — L. Bailey and William 
Macon. Spring Creek. — R. H. McNees and W. Mauldin. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



237 



Concord. — J. Camipibell and S. Rowland. Enon. — J. Lind- 
sey and J. Hamblin. Moss Creek. — E. Dunaway. Laurel 
Hill. — J. Wilson and S. Singleton. Brown's Creek. — A. 




Elder James Duncan, 



Moderator Regular Baptist Association 

Little Hatchie. — N-. Meeks and 



Biggs and J. Mauldin. 
T. D-saton. 

Present number of churches in this Association in 
the state of Mississippi with their membership : Second 
district, New Salem, 44. Pleasant Hill, 44. Spring Hill, 
5. Little Hope, 56. Antioch, 34. Total number in the 
state, 183. 



238 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Names and addresses of ordained ministers at pres- 
ent : Elder James Duncan, Ripley, Miss. ; Elder N. V. 
Parker, Walnut, Miss.; Elder C. W. Estes, Finger, 
Miss. ; Elder T. B. Dalton, Corinth, Miss. 

Elder James Duncan, Ripley, Miss., is Moderator; 
J. W. Davis, Middleton, Tenn., is clerk. 

Corresponding Associations. — Tallahatchie, Predes- 
tinarianj, New Hope, Mississippi Rivef, and Tennessee 
River Bend. 

Moderators. — Elder F. Beard, Elder B. Moore, 
Elder William S. Daugherty, Elder J. A. Moore, Elder 
H. T. Rowland, Elder S. W. Lee, Elder E. J. Hodges, 
Elder J. B. Cottle, Elder C. F. Reid, Elder S. B. Duncan, 
Elder James Duncan, Elder C. W. Estes, Elder James 
Duncan. 

Clerks.— A. Biggs, R. H. McNees, S. M. Hargrove, 
John H. Norton, W. B. Matthews, J. G. Gooch, J. W. 
Norton, T. W. Rowland, J. W. Davis, W. C. Norton, W- 
E. McAlister. 

ANTIOCH. 

Antioch church was first constituted in Tippah 
County, Mississippi, Saturday before the first Sunday 
in July, 1836, with members holding letters which were 
examined and found orderly and orthodox, to- wit: 
James Guilders, John Davis, Jacob Lindsey, James Mc- 
Carty, Aurith Ritter, Charity Ritter, Nancy Ritter;,, 
Mary Brumley, Polly Allen, and Charlotte Towsend. 
Elder James Childers, Moderator; James McCarty, 
Clerk. 

Those who served the church as pastor were : Elders 
John A. Norton, J. B. Huddleston, M. B. Moore, Ander- 
son Norton, James Day, Thomas Huddleston, L. H. 
Jamison and Jesse Davis. Total membership in the old 
church, 76. 

This church went down and was reconstituted 



240 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

May 28, 1904,, by Elders James Duncan, C. W. Estes 
and Spencer F. Moore, Presbytery; and J. E. Martin, 
J. L. Pasuer, H. P. Rowland and J. W. Higgins, Dea- 
cons ; with the following members : John S. Davis, Lou 
F. Davis, J. T. Wetherly, M. J. Wetherly, W- D. Shel- 
ton, Mollie Shelton, Kate Shelton, Dona Shelton, J. E. 
Huddleston, F. E. Huddleston J. T. Huddleston, M J. 
Huddleston, S. A. Huddleston, Mary Street, W, A. Child- 
ers, Julia, Job and Ira South. Elder James Duncan, 
Moderator, Spencer F. Moore, Clerk. 

Pastors. — C. W. Estes and James Duncan. 

Total membership, 112. At present, 51. Regular 
meeting day, first Sunday and Saturday 'before, in each 
month. 

LITTLE HOPE. 

Little Hope Church was constituted in Tippah 
County, Mississippi on Saturday before the second Sun- 
day in August, 1877, with members whose letters were 
examined and found orderly and orthodox, to- wit: M. 
T. Dodson, C. A. McClung, B. F. Davis and M. E. Mc- 
Clung. Elders H. T. Rowland, L. H. Jamieson and 
Ed McClung, Deacons, Wesley, and M. P. Dodson, 
Presbytery. Elder H. T. Rowland, Moderator; Thomas 
Rowland, Clerk. 

Pastors, W. E. McClung, L. H. Jamieson, C. W. 
Estes, James Duncan and T. W. Huddleston. Total 
membership, 112. At present, 56. Regular meeting 
days, fourth Sunday, and Saturday, before, in each 
month. 

PLEASANT HILL. 

Pleasant Hill Church was constituted in Tippah 
County, Mississippi about 1835. The old church book 
being lost, we can not get at all the facts. Those who 
have served the church as pastor are: Elders James 
Childers, J. B- Huddleston, <M. B. Moore, H. T. Row- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 241 

land, J. A. Norton, J. W. Norton, T. L. Morton, J. A. 
Darnall, B. C Butler, T. C. Cox, C. W. Estes, James 
Duncan, and N. V. Parker. Total membership^ 285. 
Present membership, 45. Regular meeting days, third 
Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

NEW SALEM. 

New Salem Church was constituted in Tippah 
County, Mississippi on the fourth Sunday, in October, 
1848, with members holding letters which were exam- 
ined and found orderly and orthodox: Willliam 
Rowland, H. T. Rowland, D. B. Rowland, J. B. Huddles- 
ton, Eleanor Rowland, Nancy Rowland and America 
Huddleston. Elders James Childers and Nathaniel 
Hopson, Presbytery. 

Pastors: James Childers, H. T. Rowland < J. B. Hud- 
dleston, B. C. Butler, L. H. Jamieson, C. F. Reid, James 
Duncan, Arthur Bishop, and N. V. Parker. ■ Total 
membership, 85. Present membership, 38. Regular 
meeting days, fourth Sunday, and Saturday before, in 
each month. 

TALLAHATCHIE ASSOCIATION. 

This Association was organized in northwest Mis- 
sissippi, October, 1837, with the following churches and 
messengers: Sardis. — E. W. Norflelt, John Milam, and 
Alex. Crawford. Antioch.— Egbert A. Meaders, James 
Dollahite, and Joseph Lane. Providence. — M. Damron, 
Thomas A. Hern, and William Morgan. Pleasant Grove 
— Jehu Smart and William James. Elder Egbert A. 
Meaders, Moderator,, John Milam, clerk. 

Moderators. — Elders Egbert A. Meaders, William 
West, S. Harris, N. N. Morris, Wade Nowlin, W. P. 
Mothershead, S. Wells, W. D. Lee, James Duncan, and 
D. B. F. Cox. 

Clerks. — Sam M. Caruthers, A. M. Crawford, Tandy 
K. Young, E. D. Sinclair, B. Powell, J. S. Singleton,, and 



242 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

J. A. Edwards. Shiloh, Clewalla and Pleasant Grove 
are all the churches' now in this Association. Total" 
membership, 74. 

Correspondence. — "Regular Baptist and Hopewell 
Associations. 

PLEASANT GROVE. 

Constitution of the Regular Primitive Baptist 
Church of Christ called Pleasant Grove, Panola County, 
Mississippi. — We whose names are herein subscribed, 
being convinced of the importance and expediency of 
associating ourselves together in the character of a 
church of Jesus Christ to keep and observe the faith as 
it was once delivered to the saints, and to attend prop- 
erly to the ordinances of the gospel in the Lord's 
house; having first joined ourselves to the Lord and to 
one another; do hereby jointly engage and pledge to 
each other, in His strength, to keep and maintain the 
following sublime and important doctrine of the Bible 
(our only rule of faith and practice) ; the being of a God, 
a trinity of persons in the Godhead; and the Scriptures 
of the Old and the New Testaments are the word of God, 
and the only rule of faith and practice; the fall of 
Adam from the upright state in which he was created, 
the degeneracy of his entire posterity, which was thereby 
corrupt,- extending and including all human nature, and 
the inability of all mankind thus corrupted, to perform 
any good works spiritually; the everlasting Son, of God, 
and Saviour of His people; a covenant of grace with 
Jesus Christ, elected in Him before the foundation of the 
world, and a special and particular redemption by His 
fblood; justification Iby the imputation of His righteous- 
ness, pardon and redemption through Him alone; affec- 
tual calling ; regeneration and sanctiflcation by the opera- 
tion of the Holy Spirit; the final perseverance of the 
saints in grace to everlasting happiness beyond the 
grave; resurrection of the bodies of the dead; general 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



243 



judgement, and that the joys of the righteous and the 
punishment of the wicked will be eternal ; that baptism 
in water by immersion, only, is the Bible mode, and reg- 
ularly ordained ministers alone are authorized to admin- 
ister the same, and none but those bringing fruits meet 
for repentance are proper subjects; and none but regu- 



N. 




Morris, Former Moderator Tallahatchie Association 



larly baptized 'believers have a right to communion at 
the Lord's table ; and that it is imperative that we wash 
one another's feet ; and that we severally contribute to 
the support of the ministry as God hath prospered us, 
and to the poor of the church also as a solemn duty. 



244 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

We believe that we are not authorized to encourage 
any minister who does not habitually and constantly 
support that character observed by the apostle Paul to 
Timothy and Titus. Subscribed by us this October, 
1835. 

William Jones, Jehu Smart, Elizabeth Bonner, Mar- 
garet Smart and Rachael Jones, members. 

Brethren Egbert A-. Meaders and Simson Parks, 
a presbytery of elders qualified to examine and to found 
churches, proceeded to the examination, and pronounced 
the above named 'brethren and sisters a church in due 
form with all the privileges and authority which is 
granted to them by the gospel. Elders Egbert A. Mead- 
ers and Simson Parks, Presbytery. 

Entire membership, 200. Present membership, 35. 
Regular meeting days, second Sunday, and Saturday be- 
fore in each month. 

SHILOH. 

Shiloh Church was constituted in iMarshall County, 
Mississippi, Sept- 2, 1837, with the following members 
holding letters which were examined and found orderly 
and orthodox, to- wit: William West, Sam Pearson, 
Rolan Brown, Joshua B. Crow, Absalom Wyatte, Wil- 
liam Mothershead, John R. Pearson, John Renfro, Arena 
Mothershead, Mary West, Jane Beacham, Hope Brown, 
Jemima McKoine, Ruth Brown and Lavina Crow. Eld- 
ers Aaron Compton and John Price, with Deacons 
Henry Kirk and William Thompson, Presbytery. 

Pastors: E, A. Meaders, W. S. Daugherty, James 
Gulp, W. E. Edwards, M. E. Edwards, A. B. Morris., 
W. W. Samons, James Duncan, B. 0- Dearing and N. V. 
Parker. Total membership, 155. Present membership, 
26. Regular meeting days, second Sunday, and Satur- 
day before, in each month. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 245 

CHEWALLA. 

Chewalla Church was constituted in Marshall 
County, Mississppi, Aug-. 6, 1845, with members whose 
letters were examined and found orderly and orthodox, 
to-wit: A. B. Morton, Isabelle Morton< Thomas Rick- 
ets, Dorcas Rickets, James Humphrey, Rosa Humprey 
and Elizabeth Norris. Elders William West, E. M. 
Meaders, A. M. Crawford, and W. Nowlin, Presbytery. 

Pastors: Wade Nowlin, Peter Gulp, S- A. Walls, 
J. T. Roibinson, and W. R. Humphreys. Total member- 
ship, 90. Present membership, 13. Regular meeting 
days, third Sunday, and Saturday before, in each 
month. 

SPRINGHILL. 

This church was constituted in Union County, 
Mississippi and is in the Regular Baptist Association. 
The church book was lost. Those who have had the 
care of the church are : Elders S. A. Wells, N. N. Mor- 
ris, C. T. Nance, James Duncan, and J. T- Robinson. 
Present membership, 5. Regular meeting days, fourth 
Sunday and Saturday before, in each month. 

PRIMITIVE ASSOCIATION. 

Primitive Association was constituted at Rocky 
Springs Church, in Holmes County, Mississippi, about 
the middle of the state, on Friday befoie the fourth 
Sunday in April, 1839. After preaching by Elder S. 
Parks, the convention was called to order by Elder N. 
Morris. Elder S. Parks was chosen .Moderator., and A. 
Erwin, Clerk. The following churches were represented 
by delegates with church letters: Hickory Spring, 
Holmes county, Elder S. Parks, Joseph Erwin, Grander- 
son Harris and Abner Erwin. Yazoo, Holmes county, 
N. Morris, William Grisom, John Bennett and Fatheree 
Hilliard. Rock Springs, Holmes county, Silas Mercer, 
Anderson West, Samuel Cook and H. Brister. Lebanon, 



246 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



Attalla county, Elder J. A. Scott, D. Stephens, Z. B. 
Guess and R. Weeks. The convention feeing duly organ- 
ized, appointed Brethren N. Morris, S. Parks, S. Mercer, 
and Z. B. Guess a committee to draft a Constitution, 
Articles of Faith and Rules of Decorum, and then ad- 
journed till Saturday morning at 10 o'clock. Met pur- 
suant to adjournment, and unanimously adopted the 




GG 



Constitution, Articles of Faith and Rules of Decorum. 
Correspondence was taken up with thres Associations, 
viz : Tallahatchie, Pilgrim^ Rest and Buttahatchie. In 
1852, sixteen churches were represented. It was at 
the solicitation of this foody that brother Benjamin Grif- 
fin, of Holmes County, was induced to prepare a History 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 247 

of the Primitive Baptists of Mississippi — an undertak- 
ing which he went through with in a very aole and satis- 
factory manner. This body has stood steadfast in the 
apostles' doctrine from her origin to the present time. 

Friendship Church, Montgomery County; Elder J. 
M. Palmertree pastor; thirty-three members. Lebanon 
Church, Attala County; Elder J. M. Palmertree, pastor; 
twenty-seven members. Oak Ridge Church, Montgomery 
County; Elder J. M. Palmertree, pastor; twelve mem- 
bers- New Providence Church, Attala County; Elder J. 
M. Palmertree, pastor; thirty members. Bethany 
Church, Yazoo County; Elder J. W. Woods, pastor; 
fourteen members. Sweetwater Church, Carroll County; 
Elder W. R. Humphreys, pastor; thirty-three members. 
Total membership, one hundred forty-nine. 

Ordained ministers. — Elder J. M. Palmertree, Car- 
mack, Miss.; Elder J. W. Woods, Eden, Miss.; Elder S. 
J. Wilkinson, Eden, 'Miss. 

Correspondence. — Little Black, Bethany, Good 
Hope, and Hopewell Associations. 

FRIENDSHIP. 

This church was organized in Montgomery, County, 
Mississippi, near Hiram Young's, October, 1882, with 
the following members holding letters which were exam- 
ined and found orderly and orthodox, to-wit: T. C. 
Young, J. E. Dorris, J. W. Meece, H. R. Young, A. 
Young, Mary Jones,, Alexander Davis, and Elizabeth 
Watson. Elder E. D. Petty, Moderator; E. Duke, Clerk. 

Pastors of the church: Elders J. R. Willis, J. E. 
Dorris and J. M. Palmertree. Total inemibership, sixty- 
six. Present membership, thirty-three. Regular meet- 
ing days, third Sunday, and Saturday before, in each 
month. 

OAK RIDGE. 

This church was constituted in Montgomery County, 
Mississippi, Aug. 21, 1847, with members holding letters 



248 HISTORY OF THE 'CHURCH 

which were found orderly and orthodox, to-wit : W. H. 
Blocker, James Gray, E. L. Holland, Shadrach Emmons, 
Wilson Thomas, Van R. Harry, Elizabeth Blocker, 
Nancy Gray, 'Mary P. Holland, Kiziah Harvey, and 
Louisa Emmons. Elders Joel Harvey, and Garland W. 
Burt, Presbytery. Joined the Association the same 
year. / 

Pastors of the church: Elders Joel Harvey, L. W. 
Harvey, James B. Chambers, J. N. Harvey, G. W. Meece, 
G. K. Guess, J. E. Dorris and J. M. Palmertree. Total 
membership, 125. Present membership, twelve. Regu- 
lar meeting days, second Sunday, and Saturday before,, 
in each month. 

NEW PROVIDENCE. 

New Providence Church was constituted in Mont- 
gomery County, Mississippi, in January, 1840. The 
names of the Presbytery and members of the constitu- 
tion have been lost. The pastors were: Elder J. E. 
Dorris, Z. B. Guess, G- K. Guess, and J. M. Palmertree. 
Total membership, sixty. Present membership, thirty. 

LEBANON. 

Lebanon Church was constituted in Attalla County, 
Mississippi, the first Sunday in June, 1836, with mem- 
bers holding letters which were examined and found 
orderly and orthodox, to-wit: Samuel Little Rhodes 
Weaks, Jabez Weaks, J. S. A. Scott, Sarah Little , Ta- 
bitha Weaks, and Mary 'Scott. Elders Joel Harvey and 
Joseph Morris, Presbytery. 

Pastors of the church : Elders J. A. Scott, Isaac 
McWhorter, William Guess, W. B. McAdams, J. B. Mor- 
ris, S. J. Wilkinson, H. R. Tolbert, and J. M. Palmertree. 
Total membership, about 200. Present membership, 
twenty-seven. Regular meeting days, first Sunday, and 
Saturday before, in each month. 

BETHANY. 

Bethany Church was constituted in Yazoo County, 
Mississippi Sept. 14, 1894, with members with letters 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 249 

from other churches which were examined and found 
orderly and orthodox, to-wit: B. Y. Burns and wife, 
Susie Burns; E. J. Johnston and wife, Martha Johnston, 
and J. F. Lufoy and wife, Miahaly Luby ; J. A. Johnston, 
J. R. Alderman, C. <M. Pierce and J. G. Hogue. Elders 
Z. B. Guess, S. J. Wilkinson, and Deacon B. E. Bridges, 
Presbytery. Elder S. J. Wilkinson, Moderator; J. A. 
Johnson, clerk. 

Pastors of the church: S. J. Wilkinson, and J. W., 
Woods. Total membership, twenty-four. Present mem- 
bership, fourteen. Regular meeting days, fourth Sun- 
day and Saturday before, in each month. 

SWEET WATER. 

This church was constituted in Carroll County, 
Mississippi, Oct. 17, 1891, with members 'holding letters 
of dismission from other churches of the same faith and 
order, which were examined and found orderly and 
orthodox, to-wit: John A. Moore, Fannie Eubanks, 
Harriet Worsham, Alfred ones, Louella Jones, A. M. 
Moore, Owen Minyard, Mlatilda Minyard,, G. W. Rico, 
David Dunn, L. A. Rico and Virginia McDonald. Elders 
J. W. Poe, J. E. Dorris, and D. J. Neal, Presbytery. 
Eldre J. W. Poe, Moderator; J. E. Dorris, Clerk. 

Pastors of the church : J. E. Dorris, D. J. Neal, M. 
A. Rico and W. R. Humphreys. Total membership, 57. 
Present membership, 33. Regular meeting days, second 
Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

NEW HOPE ASSOCIATION. 

This association was constituted out of the Butta- 
hatchie Association, at Mt. Zion church Itawambia 
County, in northeast Mississippi, Friday before the 
third Sunday in November, 1842. Elder Sanders Mills 
was elected Moderator, and Alfred Atkins,' Clerk. 

Enon Church, Itawambia County ; Elder Lemuel 
Prewett, delegate. Mount Zion Church, Itawambia 
County; Elder S. Milfe and S. W. Beene, delegates. 



250 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



Pleasant Grove Church, Itawambia County; A. Hodg3S 
and J. W- G. Richardson, delegates. Pilgrim's Rest 
Church, Monroe County; B. Jones, J. Brown, and I. Ed- 
ington, delegates. Sardis Church, Alcorn County; 0. W. 
White, delegate. John's Creek, Itawambia County; J. N. 




Elder J. T. Blnachard, Moderator New Hope Association 

P. Harder, B. Cockerham, and R. Rice, delegates. Salem 
Church, Monroe County; R. G. Blanchard, W. and A. 
Atkins, delegates. New Providence Church, Tishomingo 
County; S. C. Bynam, Isham Arndell, and S. Jones, dele- 
gates. New Hope Church, Monroe County; L- Pewett 
and B. Tubb, delegates. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 251 

First district. — Friendship Church, Elder J. E. 
iShackelf ord,, Paden, Miss., pastor; fifteen members. Sar- 
dis Church; Elder S. S. Rinehart, Rienzi, Miss., and 
Elder J. A. Miller, Boomeville, Miss., pastors; forty- 
seven members. Antioch Church; Eldsr N. V. Parker, 
Walnut, Miss., pastor; twenty members. Little Flock 
Church; J. E. Shackelford, Paden, Miss., pastor; fifteen 
members. New Providence Church; J. T. Blanchard, 
Dennis, Miss., pastor; forty-five members. 

Second district. — iMcKey's Creek Church; Elder J. 
E. Shackelford, Paden, Miss-, pastor; thirty-seven mem- 
bers. New Hope Church ; Elders J. T. Blanchard, Den- 
nis, Miss., E. W- Shackelford, Booneville, Miss., and J. 
T. Robinson, Iuka, Miss., pastors; one hundred thirty- 
four members. Zion's Rest Church; Elder J. D. Hud- 
dleston, Booneville, Miss., pastor; twenty-one members. 
Hopewell Church; Elder J. A. 'Miller, Booneville* Miss., 
pastor; forty-five members. New Prospect Church; 
Elder E. M. VereH,, Houston, Miss., pastor; seventy-five 
members. Friendship Church; Elder J. E. Shackelford, 
Paden, Miss., pastor; fifteen members. Stone Chapel 
Church, not represented. Total membership, four hun- 
dred sixty-nine. 

Moderators.— Elder Sanders Mills. 1842-47-48-51- 
52; C. Hodges, 1843-44; Charles Riddle, 1845, 46; 
Gainey Jeffries, 1846-49; Benjamin Tubb, 1849-50-53; 
William H. Riddle, 1850 to 1858, 1858 to 1870, 1870 to 
1872, 1872 to 1880, 1880 to 1882 ; S. B. Reid, 1858 ; J. 
B. Huddleston, 1870 to 71-75-81-83; C. W. ^llen, 1884 
to 1890; J. C. Reid, 1891 to 1892; J. J. Akers, 1893 to 
1897-1900-04 to 06; M. Hardwick, 1898-99-1901-02-03; 
J. T. Blanchard, 1907 to 1911. 

Clerks.— Alfred Atkins, 1842 to 1846; R. Rice, 1846 to 
1849 ; D. L. Lindsey, 1849 ; John Allen, 1850 ; William 
Walker, 1851 to 1871; J. J. Akers, 1871 to 1876; F. P. 
Morrison, 1877 to 1884 ; J. W. B. Barnett, 1885 to 1904 ; 
J. T. Blanchard, 1903; A. J. Gresham, 1905 to 1911. 



252 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



Corresponding Associations. — Toiribigbee, Predestina- 
tinarian, Regular Baptist, and Tennessee River Bsnd. 

NEW PROSPECT. 

New Prospect Church was constituted in Union 
County, Mississippi, July 18, 1846, with the followiig 
members: Everett Writter, Martin Frazier, Isham 




Davis, William Sweeton, Jones Baker, John Davis, 
James Pratt, Joseph Vineyard, J. C. Guyton, Elizabeth 
Frazier, Hary Davis, Elizabeth Purvis, Joanna Sweeton, 
Ellenor Pratt and Cyntha Vineyard. Elders R. R. Shel- 
ton, Wm. Melton, Wm. H. Hargrove, and John Cris- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 253 

well, Presbytery. Those who served the church as pas- 
tors: Elders R. R. Shelton, J. Taylor and Joseph Ed- 
wards. Total membership, 79. 

This church went down; but was reconstituted 
Sept. 18, 1894, with members, to-wit : J. T. Shelton, J. 
E. Martin , W- H. Littlejohn, W. N. Philios, J. N. Rob- 
ertss, J. P. Young, T. I. Robbins, M. M. Shelton, N. 
Read, Nancy Darling, R. J. Parham, Bud Hall, Henry 
Bryant, J. F. Read, N. <E. Shelton, PriscMa. Verell, Pheobe 
Bryant, Lizzie Young, A. A. Robbins^ Dolly Martin, M. 
J. Shelton, M. S. Carr, Nancy Littlejohn, Walar Rob- 
berts, Manda Sanford, John Prince, Dora Meadow, D. 
A. Shelton and S. A. Shelton. Elders J. D. Huddleston, 
J. T. Blanchard and C. T. Nance, Presbytery. The pas- 
tors under the last constitution: Elders J. T. Blanch- 
ard, James Duncan and E. M. Verell. Total member- 
ship, 85. Present membership, 75. Regular meeting days, 
second Sunday,, and Saturday before, in each month. 

HOPEWELL. 

Hopewell Church was constituted in Prentiss 
County, Mississippi in 1880, with the following mem- 
bers : John Dulaney, Martha Dulaney, 0. Wilkins, Selia 
Wilkins, J. B. Ricks, Sarah Ricks, Ellen Miller, Mary 
Ann Wilkins, Elizabeth Burks, Caroline ivi. Pucket, and 
A. J. Wilkins. Elders J. B. Huddleston and W. E. Ed- 
wards, Presbytery. The pastors were: Elders J. B. 
Huddleston, D. Short, J. D. Huddleston, C W. Allen, J. 
T. Blanchard, S. F. Moore, T. B. Dalton, E. W. Shackel- 
ford, and J. A. Miller. Total membership, 111. Present 
membership, 42. Regular meeting days, second Sunday, 
and Saturday before, in each month. 

ZION'S REST. 

This church was constituted in Prentiss County, 
Mississippi, Sept. 2, 1843, with the following members : 
Joel Miller,, Isaac Richardson, Polly Miller, Maria Rich- 



254 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

ardson and Eleanor Griffeth. Elders Samuel Edmin- 
son and Sanders Mills were chosen a Presbytery. 

The pastors of the church : Elders Sanders Mills, 
S. Reid, William Riddle, J. B. Huddleston, B. T. Casey, 
C. W. Allen, and J. D. Huddleston. Total membership, 
34. Present membership, 17. Regular meeting days 
first Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

NEW PROVIDENCE. 

This church was constituted in Tishomingo County, 
Mississippi, about the year 1839, according to the first 
minute given in the old church book, the constitution 
being lost. The pastors of the church were : Elders 
Gainey Jeffries, William H. Riddle, James Sparks.. J. R. 
Burt,-B. F. Casey, J. T. Blanchard, D. W. Crane, J. E. 
Shackelford and J. T. Blanchard. Present membership, 
37. Regular meeting days, third Sunday, and Saturday 
before, in each month. 

NEW HOPE. 

New Hope Church was constituted in Prentiss 
County, Mississippi, May 17, 1873, with the following 
members : James D. Holley, W. C Lacy, Pernecy Crow, 
Sarah Crow,, Sarah Holley, J. A. Holley and Elizabeth 
Lacy. Elders William H. Riddle, John B. Huddleston, 
and J. D. Huddleston, were the chosen Presbytery. 

The pastors of the church: Elders J. D. Huddles- 
ton, J. T. Blanchard, E. W. Shackelford, and J. T. Rob- 
inson. Total membership, 225. Present membership, 
134. This church has the largest membership of any 
church of the Primitive Baptists in the state. Regular 
meeting days, fourth Sunday, and Saturday before, in 
each month. 

MCKEY'S CREEK 

This church was constituted on McKey's Creek, in 
Tishomingo County, Mississippi, Aug. 16, 1845,, with 
members, to-wit: Moses H. Allen, William H. Riddle, 



256 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Joseph Allen, Sarah Allen, Georgia Lee, A. McCreary, 
John Allen, Francis McCreary and Richard White. Eld- 
ers Sanders Mills, Charles Riddle, James -.mdsey, and 
Gainey Jeffries were the Presbytery. 

The pastors were: Elders Charles Riddle, James 
Lindsey,, William H. Riddle, C. W. Allen, D. W. Crane, 
and James Shackelford. Total membership, 115. Pres- 
ent membership, 37. Regular meeting days, second Sun- 
day, and Saturday before, in each month. 

FRIENDSHIP. 

Friendship Church was constituted in Tishomingo 
County, Mississippi, Aug. 20, 1870, with the following 
members: William Honey, Ann Honey, David Driver, 
W. J. Stricklin, Tabitha Stricklin and Mary Stricklin. 
Elders John B. Huddleston, and F. Creale were the 
Presbytery. 

The pastors were: Elders F. Creale, J. R. Burt, 
B. F. Casey, J. J. Akers, and J. E. Shackelford. Total 
membership, 37. Present membership, 15. Regular 
meeting days, fourth Sunday, and Saturday before, in 
each month. 

LITTLE FLOCK. 

Little Flock Church was constituted in Tishomingo 
County, Mississippi, June 11, 1892, with the following 
members : R. Streetman, J. G. Stepp, Milton Hardwick, 
Elizabeth Streetman, J. G. Holder, Martha Holder and 
Nancy Hardwick. Elders J. J. Akers, J. C. Reid and 
J. D. Huddleston were the Presbytery. Elder J. D. 
Huddleston, 'Moderator, and J. A. Carter, Clerk. 

The pastors were : J. C. Reid, M. Hardwick, S. S. 
Rinehart, N. V. Parker and J. E. Shackelford. Total 
membership, 34. Present membership, 20. Regular 
meeting days, second Sunday, and Saturday before, in 
each month. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 257 

ANTIOCH. 

Antioch Church was constituted in Alcorn County, 
Mississippi in December, 1837, with the following mem- 
bers : Neal Morrison, Sarah Morrison, Seaborn Jones, 
Sarah Walker and Margaret Johnson. Elders Francis 
Beard and Bartholomew Wright were the Presbytery. 

Pastors of the church were: Elders S. B. Reid, R. 
K. Daniel, W. H. Riddle, J. L. Guthrie, T. B. Dalton and 
N. V. Parker. Total membership, 61. Present mem- 
bership, 20. 

MT. PLEASANT. 

Mount Pleasant Church was constituted in the resi- 
dence of William Moore, in Tishomingo County, Missis- 
sippi, 1844. A house was built at the Moore cemetery 
and the church held there for a number of years and 
then moved six miles north in the same county. The old 
record has been lost, so we cannot get . much of its his- 
tory. The Presbytery might have been the same as that 
of McKey's Creek Church as the dates are about to- 
gether. 

The pastors were: Elders Charles Riddle, Sammy 
Reid, William Riddle, F. Creak, and J. J. Akers. 

This church stands out of the Association at present, 
being dropped for holding members in secret orders. 
Total membership, about 50. Present membership;, 15. 
Regular meeting days, first 'Sunday, and Saturday be- 
fore, in each month. 

BETHANY ASSOCIATION. 

The Introductory Sermon was delivered by Elder E. 
Walbanks from Timothy iv. 16. "Take heed unto thy- 
self, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in 
doing this thou shalt (both save thyself, and them that 
hear thee." After a short recesis, the delegates from the 
churches convened in the meeting house, and were called 
to order by appointing Eider E. Wilbanks, Moderator 



258 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



and Jesse G. Crecelius, clerk, pro tern. The Moderator 
opened the business of the convention with singing and 
prayer. Letters were received and read from seven 
churches, the names of the delegates' enrolled, and the 




Elder J. R. Willis, Moderator Bethany Association 

statistics of churches minuted. The convention next 
proceeded to elect a Moderator and Clerk, which re- 
sulted in the election of Elder E. Wilbanks, Moderator, 
and Jesse G. Crecelius s clerk. Monday, 9 o'clock, Aug. 
26, 1844, the convention met pursuant to adjournment; 
opening prayer by the Moderator. The committee to ar- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 259 

range the (business of the convention made a report 
which was received and the committee discharged. First 
called for the Constitution, which was prepared by the 
committee of arrangements, and the same was pre- 
sented, read, and after some deliberation, on motion, 
was adopted. [See Constitution.] Second called for the 
Articles of Faith, which were presented, read and 
adopted. Whereupon, the Moderator arose and declared 
the Association duly constituted, and in order for busi- 
ness; and on motion, the convention adjourned sine die. 
A hymn of praise was sung, on the announcement of the 
newly constituted Association iby the Moderator, and the 
right hand of fellowship was extended by the delegates 
alternately. The Association was then constituted at 
New Bethel Church, Leake County,! Mississippi, Aug. 24, 
25,/ 26, 1844, with the following churches and delegates: 

Pilgrim's Rest, Scott County; E. Wilbanks and 
William Heaton, delegates. Edinburgh, Leake County; 
Wm. J. Ward and R. Barrett, delegates. Antioch, Scott 
County; iS> Berry and J. G. Crecelius, delegates. Mount 
Pleasant, Scott County; Thomas Mercer and L- Daniel, 
delegates. New Bethel, Leake County; R. R. Fortson 
and F. Freeney, delegates. Pinekney, Newton County; 
R. M. McCullough, delegates. New Chapel, Scott 
County ; W. W. Chandler, delegate. A part of the dele- 
gates' names was torn away, so we could not get the full 
delegation. 

Moderators of the Association. — Elders E. Wil- 
banks, 1845; Elijah Wilbanks, 1846 to 1852; J. G.'Cre- 
celius, 1877 to 1890 ; W. J. McGee, 1876, J. G. Crecel- 
ius, 1877 to 1892; W. J. McGee, 1893 to 1894; J. R. Wil- 
lis, 1894 to 1911. 

Clerks of the Association. — J. G. Crecelius, 1845 to 
1852 ; John R. Burke, 1853 ; William Ledbetter, 1854-55 ; 
Thomas Harris, 1856 to 1868 ; J. C. Madden, 1869 to 
1875 ; J. E. Knighten, 1876 ; J. C. Madden, 1877 to 1880 ; 



260 HISTORY O'F THE CHURCH 

W. S. Ferguson, 1881 to 1884; W. W. Ubanks, 1886 to 
1902; J. M. Payne, 1902 to 1911. 

Corresponding Associations. — Amite, Little Black, 
Little Zion, Primitive, and Good Hope. 

First District. — Antioch, Scott County; Elder W. S. 
S. Hollingsworth, Pulaski, Miss., pastor; thirty mem- 
bers. Fellowship, Newton County; Elder T. J. Stamper, 
Centerpoint, Miss., pastor ; twenty-five members. Mace- 
donia, Newton County; Elder T. J. Stamper, Center- 
point, Miss., pastor ; eleven members. ■ Lebanon, Newton 
County; Elder iS. E. Pennington, Decatur, Miss., pas- 
tor; forty-two members. Sharon, Scott County; Elder 
A; Hollingsworth, Lake, Miss., pastor ; twenty-five mem- 
bers. Union, Mount Pisgah, Mount Pleasant, and New 
Hope Churches are now extinct. 

Second District — Pilgrim's Rest, Leake County; 
Elder C. W. Ailford, Carthage, Miss.,- pastor. Damascus, 
Scott County; Elder J. R. Willis, Center, Miss.,. ; pastor; 
thirty-five members: Bethlehem, Neshoba County; Elder 
S. E. Penington, Decatur, Miss., pastor; nineteen mem- 
bers. Hopewell, Neshoba County; Elder H. R. Tolbert, 
Edinburg, Miss., pastor; thirty-three members. 

Third District. — Union, Winston County; no informa- 
tion. New Bethel, Leake County; Elder J. R. Willis, 
Center, Miss., pastor; sixty-three members. Zion Hill,, 
Leake County; Elder J. R. Willis, Center, Miss., pastor; 
forty-one members. Big Spring, Leake County ; Elder 
J. R. Willis, Center, Miss., pastor; fifty-two members. 
Ebenezer, Leake County; Elder H. R. Tolbert, Edin- 
burg, Miss., pastor; fifty members. Concord, Neshoba 
County; no information. Primitive, Yazoo County; 
Elder J. W. WoodJ,,, Eden, Miss-, pastor ; eighteen mem- 
bers. Mount Nebo, Attala County ; H. R. Tolbert, Edin- 
burg, Miss., pastor; thirty-eight members. Total mem- 
bership, four hundred eighty-two. This association is 
near the center of the state. 



HISTORY O'F THE CHURCH 261 

BIG SPRINGS. 

Big Springs Church was constituted in Leake 
County, Mississippi, Saturday before the first Sunday in 
October, 1877, with the following members who held let- 
ters of dismission which were examined and found or- 
derly and orthodox: John I. Roberts, Creasey Roberts, 
Nancy McKay, Mary Carpner, Jesse Sumner s, Elizabeth 
Sumners, J. N. Moore,, Cinda Moore, John A. Dorsey, 
Nicy Kitchens and Elizabeth Croxton. Elders A. G. 
Oden and J. R. Willis formed the presbytery. Prayer 
was delivered by Elder A. G. Oden, and charge by Elder 
J. R. Willis. Elder A. G. Oden, Moderator, and J. S. 
McCauley, clerk. 

Pastors, Elders J. R. Willis and J. S. McCauley. 
Total membership, 181. Present membership, 52. Regu- 
lar meeting days fourth Sunday, and Saturday before in 
each month. 

MT. NEBO, 

Mt. Nebo Church was constituted in Attalla County, 
Mississippi, Oct. 28, 1893, with the following members 
holding letters which were examined and found orderly 
and orthodox: A. M. Wilkinson, A. G. Johnson, John 
Townsend,. A. M. Brock, B. B. Ayers, S. A. Johnson, G. 
A. Towisend, Elizabeth Brock, and N. E. Walker. Elders 
H. R. Tolbert, J. S. McCauley, and J. R. Willis formed 
the Presbytery. 

Pastor: Elder H. R. Tolbert. Total membership, 52. 
Present membership, 38. Regular meeting days, fourth 
Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

ZION HILL. 

Zion Hill Church was constituted at the residence 
of E. T. Horn, Leake County, Mississippi, in 1857, with 
the following members holding letters which were exam- 
ined and found orderly and orthodox: T. A. Ray, J. B. 



262 HISTORY OF THIE CHURCH 

Alderman, Thomas Horn, E. T. Horn, Priscilla Horn, 
and others whose names are not on record. Who de- 
livered the prayer and charge is left blank. 

Pastors: Elders J. S. McCauley and J. R. Willis. 
Total membership, 94. Present membership, 41. Regu- 
lar meeting, first Sunday, and Saturday before, in each 
month. 

EBENEZER. 

Ebenezer Church was constituted in a residence in 
Leake County, Mississippi, Sept. 16, 1865, with members 
holding letters which were examined a-ud foun^ orderly 
and orthodox: John Fisher, Susan Fisher, Wiley Pit- 
man, Levy Moore, Elizabeth and E. B. Moorehead. Eld- 
ers W. C. Burks, A. G. Oden and Ezekiel Lofton formed 
the Presbytery. Total membership, about 175- Present 
membership, 50. 

Pastors : Elders W. C. Burks, Faine Johnston, J. 
R. Willis and H. R. Tolbert. Regular meeting days, third 
Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

NEW BETHEL. 

New Bethel Church was constituted at the residence 
of Roderick Fortson in Leake County, Mississippi, July 
2, 1836, with members holding letters which were exam- 
ined and found orderly and orthodox: Isaac Parker, 
Ann Parker, Matthew Wilkinson, Elizabeth Wilkinson, 
John Wilkinson, William Wilkinson, Mollie Wilkinson, 
Sarah Wilkinson, Amos Parker and Elizabeth Wilkin- 
son. Elders Stephen Berry and Shadrach Jones formed 
the Presbytery. Elder Stephen Berry was Moderator, 
and R. R. Fortson clerk. 

Pastors: Elders Shadrach Jones, R. R. Fortson, 
Ezekiel Lofton, A. G. Oden, J. G. Crecelius and J. R. 
Willis. Total membership, about 190. Present mem- 
bership, 63. Regular meeting days, second Sunday, and 
Saturday before, in each month. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 263 

DAMASCUS. 

Damascus Church ' was constituted at Friendship 
Academy, Scott County, Mississippi, Nov. 17, 1849, with 
members holding letters which were examined and 
found orderly and orthodox : Thomas T. Corley, Tabitha 
Corley, William H. Hutto, Jessie Rogers, Nancy Rogers, 
John M. Finley, and Nancy Finley. Elders Allen Moore 
and William Roberts formed the Presbytery. Elder 
Allen Moore was Moderator, and J. G. Crecelius,, clerk. 

Pastors: J. G. Crecelius, J. W. Carter, A. W. 
Woods, and J. R. Willis. Total membership, 96. Pres^ 
ent membership, 35. Regular meeting days, third Sun- 
day, and Saturday before, in each month. 

ANTIOCH. 

Antioch Church was constituted in Scott County, 
-Mississippi, November, 1835, with members holding let- 
ters which were examined and found orderly and ortho- 
dox: Stephen Berry, Effie Berry, L. Turner;, Ollie Tur- 
ner, Charles Toney, Cyntha Toney, Allen Scarborough, 
Margaret Scarborough, John Fisher, John Finley, Eliza- 
beth Cleveland and Jane Scarborough. Elders Stephen 
Berry and Cader Price composed the Presbytery. Elder 
Stephen Berry was Moderator, and A. Scarborough, 
clerk. 

Pastors : Elders Stephen Berry, Alanson Philips, 
Elijah Wilbanks, William Roberts, M. Patrick, J. G. Cre- 
celius, W. S. Ferguson, and :S. J. Hollingsworth. Total 
membership, about 300. Present membership, 30. Regu- 
lar meeting days, third Sunday, and Saturday before, in 
each month. 

SHARON. 

Sharon Church was constituted in Scott County, 
Mississippi, April 25, 1891!, with members holding let- 
ters which were examined and found orderly and ortho- 



264 HISTORY OF THiE CHURCH 

dox: W- S. Hollingsworth, E. J. Hollingsworth, S. F. 
Graham, Ira Creel, Julia Creel, W. M. Parker, W. J. 
Wheeler, and J. W. Volentine. Elders T. F. Gardner, 
W. S. Ferguson, A. Hollingsworth, and T. J. Stamper 
composed the Presbytery. Elder T. J. Gardner was 
Moderator, and W. S. Ferguson, clerk- 

Pastors : Elders A. Hollingsworth, J. S. Gordy , A. 
W. Woods and S. J. Hollingsworth. Total membership, 
94. Present membership, 25. Regular meeting days, 
fourth Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

MACEDONIA. 

This Church was constituted in Newton County, 
Mississippi, 1881, with members holding letters which 
were examined and found orderly and orthodox, to-wit: 
Sam Riser, L. B. Riser, L. W. Leach, A. Hollingsworth, 
A, J. Hollingsworth, and Matt Russell. Elders Joe 
Ishey and I. L. Pennington composed the Presbytery. 
Elder I. L. Pennington was Moderator, S. E. Penning- 
ton, clerk. 

Pastors: Elders S. E. Pennington, A. Hollings- 
worth, A. H. Ragan, S. J. Hollingsworth, and T. J. 
Stamper. Total membership, 48. Present membership, 
11. Regular mestins: days, second Sunday, and Saturday 
before, in each month. 

FELLOWSHIP. 

Fellowship Church was constituted in Newton 
County, Mississippi, July 26, 1879, with members hold- 
ing letters which were examined and found orderly and 
orthodox: D. S. Carr, Elizabeth Carr, S- B. Gardner, 
Martha W. Gardner, T. R. Allen and Martha R. Gardner. 
Elders J. G. Crecelius, W. J. McGee, A. J. Stewart and 
T. F. Gardner formed the Presbytery. Elder J. G- Cre- 
celius was Moderator, and T. J. Gardner, clerk. 

Pastors : Elders T. F. Gardner, S. E. Pennington, 
and T. J. Stamper. Total membership, 65. Present 



. HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 265 

membership, 25. Regular meeting days, first Sunday, 
and Saturday before, in each month. 

HOPEWELL. 

Hopewell Church was constituted at the residence 
of Luke Spivey in Neshoba County, Mississippi, Dec. 11„ 
1880, with members holding letters which were exam- 
ined and found orderly and orthodox : L. L. Powell, N. 
Moore, W. W. Eubanks, R. V. Spivey, W. T. Griffin, Wily 
Spivey, Joanna Powell, H. H. MciMicael, J. G. Townsend, 
and Cyntha Bearing. Elders J. R. Willis, J- A. Bates, 
and S. J. Wilkinson composed the Presbytery. 

Pastors: Elders Alexander G. Oden, J. A. Bates,, 
S. E. Pennington, J. C. Walden, J. R. Willis and H. R. 
Tolbert Total membership, about 60. Present member- 
ship, 33. Regular meeting days, first Sunday, and Sat- 
urday before, in each month. 

BETHELEM. 

This Church was constituted at an arbor prepared 
for the occasion in Neshoba County, Mississippi, Sept. 
9, 1876, with the following members who presented let- 
ters of dismission from other churches. W. T. Petty, 
F. A. Allen, John H. Tolbert, T. M. Peebles, and Petti- 
grew Moore. Elders John Brown and J. G. Crecelius, 
constituted the Presfbytery. Elder J. W- Crecelius was 
Moderator, and W. T. Petty, clerk. 

Pastors: Elders J. G. Crecelius, TV J. Moore, H. 
R. Tolbert, J. P. Willis, J. C. Walton, T, J. Stamper, and 
S- E. Pennington. Total membership, about 50. Present 
membership, 19. Regular meeting days, second Sunday, 
and Saturday before, in each month. 

LEBANON. 

Lebanon Church was constituted in Newton County, 
Mississippi, Sept. 20, 1880, with members holding letters 
of dismission from churches : I. L. Pennington, M. A. 



266 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Pennington, M. P. Crawford, S. A. Crawford, S. E. 
Pennington, S. J. Pennington, C. R. Warren, J. E. War- 
ren, Serena Newton, B. J. Everett and A. P. Everett. 
Elders W. J. McGee, T. J. Moore and J. Ishee composed 
the Presbytery. Elder W. J. McGee was Moderator, and 
T. F- Gardner, clerk. Total membership, 71. Present 
membership, 42. Regular meeting days, third Sunday, 
and Saturday before, in each month. 

TOMBIGBEE ASSOCIATION. 

This Association is in northeast Mississippi, and 
was constituted out of New Hope Associaton, and held 
with New Hope Church Nov. 7, 8, and 9, 1846, with the 
following churches and messengers: 

First District. — Zion, W. H. Shackelford, R. Rasp- 
berry. Fellowship, R. C. Russell, W. S. Davenport. 
Union, D. McGaughey. Enon, W. Green, J. Hunt, J. S. 
Bourland. Salem, Alfred Atkins. 

Second District.— New Hope, T. E. Prewett, T. 
Greenwood, G. Jeffries. Aberdeen, R. B. Gunn, Abner 
Prewett. Church Hill, Alfred Ellis. Ebenezer, J. 
Nicholson, J. Jarmon. Shiloh, William Ringo- Gainey 
Jeffries, Moderator, and Abner Prewett, clerk. 

Moderators. — Elders Gainsey Jeffries, R. B. Gunn, 
Charles Hodges, J. T. Seely, J. H. Oden, A. T. Hill, G; T. 
Blanchard, W. P. Gillespie, Pro tern., G- W. Wardlow, 
W .M. Little, R. E. Bourland, Jesse Dobbs. 

Clerks. — Abner Prewett, Alfred Atkins, Abel Cain, 
B. Gunn, R. M. Gunnj,, J. T. Seely, A. T. Hill, P. H. 
Haughton, P. W. Wood, J. T. Blanchard, W. D. Ses- 
sions, C. W. McNeal, J. E. Spradling, W. L. Tubb. 

Churches at present : 

First District. — Pleasant Grove, Itawamba County; 
Elder B. F. Williams, Ratcliff, Miss., pastor; twenty- 
eight members. Enon, Itawamlba County; Elder B. F. 
Williams, Ratcliff, Miss., pastor; thirty-five members. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



267 



Westmoreland, Lee County; Elder M. C. Hankins, Tu- 
pelo, Miss., pastor; thirteen members. 

Second District. — E'benezer, Monroe County; Elder 
J. A. Miller, R. 6, Booneville, Miss., pastor; twenty 
members. Oakland, now extinct. New Hope, Monroe 




Elder R. B. Gunn, Former Moderator Tombigoee Association 



County; Elder B. F. Williams, Ratcliff, Miss,,, pastor; 
ninety-two members. Beulah, Lee County; Elder M. C. 
Hankins, Tupelo, Miss., pastor; seventeen members. 
Total membership, two hundred fifteen. 

Ordained ministers at present. — Elder B. E. Bout- 



268 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

land, Saltillo, Miss. Elder B. F. Williams, Ratcliff, 
Miss. Elder M. C. Hankins, Tupelo, Miss. 

Corresponding Associations. — Little Black and New- 
Hope. 

PLEASANT GROVE. 

This Church was constituted in Itawamba County, 
Mississippi, Oct. 1„ 1840, with the following members: 
Allison and Mary Hodges, Tabitha Richardson, W. M. C. 
and Elizabeth Rhyne, D. P. and Sarah Nelson, Henry 
and Sarah Rhyne, LeRoy and Lily McClung, W. M. A. 
and Mary Ann Hodges, Mary and Tabitha Nanney, Jane 
Brown, Elizabeth Gramme r, Marion Mullins, Sarah 
Deaton, W. M. and Mary Gilentine. Elders A. Hodges 
and L. Mills formed the Presbytery. Total membership, 
160. Regular membership, 28. Regular meeting days, 
second Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

ENON. 

Enon Church was constituted in Itawamba County, 
Mississippi, on Saturday before the second Sabbath in 
March, 1835, with the following members: Ezekiel 
Thomas, Jaems Brooks, Levi Gall away, John Bennett, 
Jennie Thomas, Dorothy Ann Thomas, Nancy Brooks, 
Sarah Duprey, Mary Hitson, Nancy Bennett and Eliza- 
beth White. Elders Lemuel Prewett, Charles Hodges, 
Sanders Mills and John L. Cypert, formed the Presby- 
tery. Total membership, 273- Present membership, 35. 
Regular meeting days, fourth Sunday, and Saturday be- 
fore, in each month. 

Pastors of Pleasant Grove Church: Elders Sanders 
Mills, James Lindsey, Gainey Jeffries, A. Hodges, J. W. 
Gocher, H. W. Ryne, J. B. Huddleston , B. F. Caysey, J. 
T. Blanchard, G. W. Wardlow, B. E- Bourland, D. S. 
Short and B. F. Williams. 

Pastors of Enon Church : Charles Hodges, Alfred 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 269 

Atkins, Benjamn Tubb, J. S. Bourland, A. Hill, H. W. 
Rhyne, W. C. Hunter, J. B. Buddleston, Aaron CantrelL 
W- J. Wardlow, B. E. Bourland, B. F. Caycey and B. F. 
Williams. 

BEULAH. 

Beulah Church was constituted in Lee County, Miss- 
issippi, July 15, 1904, with the following members : S. 
F. Hankins, J. W. Stanley, W. R. Stanley, W. J. Christ- 
ian, M. J. Hankins, M. F. Stanley, and I. L. Christian- 
Elders B. F. Williams and Spencer F. Moore formed 
the Presbytery. 

Pastors : Elders Spencer F. Moore, B. E. ^Bourland, 
E. W. Shackelford, J. A. Miller, M. C. Hankins it and J. 
T. Blanchard. Membership, 17. Regular meeting days, 
first Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

WESTMORELAND. 

This Church was constituted in Lee County, Mis- 
sissippi, on Saturday before the fourth Sunday in June, 
1873, with the following members: J. W. Westmore- 
land and wife, J. C. Ganer and wife, A. T. Hill and wire, 
Caroline Gardner, Lucinda Stone, F. W. Westmoreland 
and wife, M- T. Westmoreland, J. W. Marks and wife. 
Elders P. W. Wood and A. T. Hill, ministers, with D. R. 
McGaughey and J. A. Easley, deacons, formed the Pres- 
bytery. 

Pastors : Elders A. T. Hill, P. W. Wood, D. Short, 
C. W. Allen, N- N. Morris, J. T. Blanchard, S. F. Moore, 
B. E. Bourland and M. C. Hankins. Total membership, 
83. Present membership, 13. Regular meeting days, 
first Sunday, and Saturday before,, in each month. 

NEW HOPE. 

New Hope Church was constituted in Monroe 
County, Mississippi, Saturday, May 8, 1819, with the 
following members : John G. Fowlkes, John Shepherd, 



270 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Andrew Boulding, Ireane Flenn, and Charles Bogan. 
Elders Thomas Williams, John Davis and Thomas Will- 
ingham, formed the Presbytery. Elder Thomas Will- 
iams, Moderator and Andrew Boulding, clerk. 

Pastors : Elders Thomas Williams, Lemuel Prewett, 
W. H. Cook, Charles Hodges, Allen Hill, Gainey Jeffries, 
Samuel Johnson, Benjamin Tuibb, Alfred Atkins, John H. 
Oden, B. H. Atkins, Jessie Dabbs, A. J. McWhorter, A. 
Cantrell, J. T. Blanchard and B. F. Williams. Total 
membership, 381. Present membership, 92. Regular 
meeting days, fourth Sunday, and Saturday before, in 
each month. 

EBENEZER. 

Ebenezer Church was constituted in Monroe 
County, Mississippi, Saturday before the third Sunday in 
December, 1832, with the following members: John 
Stewart, Thomas Sealy, 'Leonard 'Crosby, Moody Stew- 
ard, Matthew B- Denman, William M. Coulter, Lewis 
Collins, Edward R. Sealy, Mecager Bennett, S. A. Ed- 
mondson, Joseph German, John M. Coulter, Margaret 
Collins, Hannah Steward, Elizabeth Crosby,, Malinda 
Sealy, Nancy Steward, Sarah Davis, Ann Davis, Nancy 
Coulter and Elizabeth Duckworth. Elders Henry Petty 
Robert Portwood and William H. Cook formed the 
Presbytery. 

Pastors: Elders Mecager Bennett, Henry Petty, 
William Herrod, Charles Hodges, Robert B. Gunn, Sam- 
uel Johnson, John H. Oden, A. Mills, J. J. Halbert, J. H. 
Morris, N. W. Eubanks, W. M. Little, J. E. Little, B..F. 
Atkins, J. T. Blanchard, D. 0. Streetman, Spencer F. 
Moore, J. T. Robinson, E. W. Shackelford and J. A. 
Miller. Total membership, 159. Present membership, 
20. Regular meeting days, third Sunday, and Saturday 
before, in each month- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 271 

OAKLAND. 

Oakland Church was constituted in Monroe County;, 
Mississippi, 1859, with the following mebers: R. B. 
Guam, I. T. Seely, R. M. Gunn, R. L. Rupel, F. N. Gunn. 
Sarah Seely, Sarah McLown, Stacy Greene, L. M. Field, 
Claissey Gunn, Mima Seely, Hulda Gunn, Martha Ellis, 
Mary Thomas, R. Keaton and wife, P. H. Haughton and 
Roibert Johnson. Elders Samuel Johnson, Jeremiah 
Pearsall and Alfred Ellis formed the Presbytery. 

Pastors : Elders R. B. Gunn, William Little, A. J. 
Coleman, J. H. Oden and E. M. Verell. Total member- 
ship, 78. Present membership,, 10. 

LITTLE BLACK ASSOCIATION. 

This Association was. constituted about the middle 
of the state at Eibethel Church, 'Choctaw County, Miss- 
issippi, Oct. 5, G t and 7„ 1858, as follows : Introductory 
sermon by Elder C. E. Verell. Text, James i. 16-18. 

Churches, members, and delegates. — Emmaus, ten 
mem'bers, C. E. Verell, G. M. Sprue 1, W- Lindsey. Clear 
Springs, ten members, I. Read, R. Henderson, W. S. 
Smith. Sarepta, twelve members, W. M- Jacks, R. D. 
Hardy <) G. B. Harvey. Eibethel, (now extinct), thirty- 
two members, W. Mann, S- Lowermore. Mount Pleas- 
ant, twenty-two members, Benjamin Richie, John 
Crocker. Elders E. Thompson and C. E. Verell formeid 
the presbytery, with R. D. Hardy, clerk. 

Churches at present. — Emmaus, Webster County; 
Elder E- M. Verell, Houston^ Miss., pastor; twenty-one 
members. Clear Springs, Webster County ; Elder C. M. 
Scroggins, Maben, iMiss., pastor; twenty-five members 
Sarepta, Webster County; Elder W. R. Humphreys, R. 
3, Ackerman, Miss., pastor; fifteen members. Mount 
Hermon, Calhoun County; Elder D. J. Neal, Duck Hill, 
Miss., pastor; fifty-two members. Enon, Chickasaw 
County; Elder E. M. Verell, Houston, Miss., pastor; 



272 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. 

twenty-one members. Macedonia, Webster County; 
Elder W. R. Humphreys), R. 3, Ackerman, Miss., pastor; 
twenty-three members. Total membership, one hundred 
fifty-seven. 

Moderators.— Eldsrs C. M. Verell, 1858 to 1876; S. 
Parks, 1878; E. D. Petty, 1879-80; Eli Stewart, 1881; 
E. D. Petty, 1883; J. M. Easley, 1884; C. M. Scroggins, 
E. M. Verell, N- T. Easley, E. M. Verell. 

Clerks— R. D. Hardy, 1858 to 1860; W. T. Mann,, 
1861; C. M. Spreuel, 1862; R. D. Hardy, 1864 to 1875; 
J. L. Hardy, 1876 ; R. D. Hardy, 1877 to 1884 ; <C. M. 
Serogginsi t E- M. Verrell, W. D. Couch, J. L. Hardy, J. 
W. Meece, Wiley Martin. 

Corresponding Associations — Tombigbee, ' Hopewell, 
Bethany, and Primitive. 

Ordained ministers at present. — Elders E. M. 
Verell, C. M. Scroggins, and W. R. Humphreys. 

ENON. 

Enon Church was constitutsd in Chickasaw County, 
Mississippi, Aug. 28, 1886, with the following members: 
G. W. Cox, R. A. Cox, W. D. Couch and F. W. Duncan. 
Elders E. M. Verell and J.' M. Easley with Deacons 0. 
C. Davis, formed the Presbytery. 0. C. Davis was 
Moderator, and G. B. Walker, clerk. 

Pastor: Elder E. M. Verell. Total membership, 
34- Present membership,, 21. Regular meeting days, 
third Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

MT. HERMON. 

Mt. Hermon Church was constituted in Calhoun 
County, Mississippi, April 17, 1880, with the following 
members : J. M. Easley, Mary Easley, N. T. Easley, W- 
C. Mitchell, S. D. Mitchell, J. Jennings, H. M. Easley, E. 
J. Easley, Elizabeth Ellis, Prudence Hollis, J. A. Easley, 
M. E. Easley and Francis Stokes. Elders C. E. Verell, 
A. B. Morris and Deacons E. Duke and 0. C. Davis 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 273 

formed the Presbytery. Elder E. M. Verell was Mode- 
rator and A. B. Morris, clerk. 

Pastors: Elders C. E. Verell, J. M. Easley, E. iM. 
Verell, N. T. Easley, and D. J. Neal. Total membership, 
88. Present membership, 52. Regular meeting days, 
first Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

MACEDONIA. 

This Church was constituted m Webster County, 
Mississippi, July 31, 1887, with the following members : 
J. P. Robinson, I. S. Baker, G. M. Franklin, J. E. Baker 
and N. J. Robinson. Elders J. B. Chambers, C. M. 
Scroggins and J. E. Dorrisi formed the Presbytery. Elder 
C. M. Scroggin, Moderator, and J. E. Dorris, clerk. 

Pastors: Elders C. M. iScroggin, G. W. Meece and 
W. R. Humphrey's. Total membership, 41. Present 
membership, 23. Regular meeting days, third Sunday 
and Saturday before in each month. 

CLEAR SPRINGS. 

Clear Springs Church was constituted in Webster 
County, Mississippi, Aug. 6, 1858, with the following 
members : Jesse Reed,,, Alexander Harpole, and Robert' 
Henderson. Elder C. E. Verell, Moderator and Eli 
Thompson, clerk. 

Pastors: Elders C. E. Verell, E. D. Petty, J. M. 
Easley, and C. N. Scroggin. Total membership, 50. 
Present membership, 25. Regular meeting days, fourth 
Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

HOPEWELL ASSOCIATION. 

The introductory sermon wasi preached by Elder M. 
C. C. Maples. This Association lies in north central 
Mississippi, and was constituted out of old Loosascoona 
Association, July 13, 1867, with the following churches 
and delegates : 

Friendship, J. Oastleberry, J. Tedfoi'd, B. H. L. 
Camp. Elam, R. M. Morehead, H. Hill, J. Kessler. Hope- 



274 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



well, J. Hu-ckaby, J. Price, J. Nelms. Laodicea, J. T. 
Gilmore, J. S. Smith, B. Huckaby, M. C. C. Maples. 

Moderators.— Elders M. C. C. Maples, E. A. Mead- 
ers, J. T. Huckaby, William Guess, A. B. Morris. 

Clerks. — A. B. Morris, W. L. Goodwin, W. F. Jones, 
W. J. Brown. 

Churches at present. — Shiloh, Yalobusha County, 
Elder D. J. Neal, Duck Hill, Miss., pastor; forty-eignt 




Elder A. B. Morris, Moderator Hopewell Association 

members. Mount Pisgah, Montgomery County; Elder 
D. J. Neal, Duck Hill, Miss., pastor ; thirty-six members. 
Laodicea, Lafayette County; Elder A. B. Morris, Oxford, 
Miss., pastor; sixty-nine members. Pilgrim's Rest, La- 
fayette County ; Elder A. B. Morris, Oxford, Miss., pas- 
tor; thirty-four members. Loosascoona, Yalobusha 
County; Elder E. D. Williams, Taylor, Miss., pastor; 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 275 

twenty members. Hopewell, Pontotoc County ; Elders J. 
M. Morton, Banner, Miss., and G. F. Tutor, Randolph., 
Miss., pastors; thirty-six members. Indian Creek, Pon- 
totoc County; not represented; ten members. Friend- 
ship, Carroll County ; not represented ; thirty-four mem- 
bers. Elam, Yalobusha County; Elder E. D. Williams, 
Taylor, Miss., pastor; thirty-seven members Antioch, 
Lafayette County; Elder A. B. Morris, Oxford, Miss 
pastor; thirty members. Bethel, Yalobusha County; 
Elder A. B. Morris, Oxford, Miss., pastor; ten members. 
Mount Zion, Pontotoc County; Elder A. B. Morris, Ox- 
ford, Miss., pastor ; fifteen members. Total membership, 
three hundred seventy-nine. 

Ordained ministers. — Elders A. B. Morris, Oxford, 
Miss. ; D. E. Neal, Duck Hill, Miss. ; J. F. Morton, Ban- 
ner, Miss.; G. F. Tutor, Randolph,, Miss.; E. D. Will- 
iams, Taylor, Miss. ; and N. J. Easley, Timberville, Miss. 
Licentiate, W. A. Mayo, Springville,, Miss. 

Corresponding Associations. — Little Black, Talla- 
hatchie, Tombigbee, and Primitive. 

MOUNT PISGAH 

Mount Pisgah Church was constituted in Mont- 
gomery County, Mississippi, June 20, 1940, with the 
following members : J. P. Taylor, James Pittman, 
Thomas W. Shepherd, Henry Epperson, M. B. Denman, 
Sollomon Bennett, Sinai Taylor, Elizabeth Carpenter, 
Elijah Stephens, Nancy Pittman, Harriet Pyrant, Ruth 
Graves, M»ary Pyrant and Lydia Forister. Elders Francis 
Baker, Eli N- Lankford and Simpson Parks formed the 
presbytery. Elder Francis Baker moderator, and Luke 
Robertson, clerk. 

Pastors: Elders Simpson Parks, N. N. Morris,, 
Wm. Guess, D. J. Neal and E. D. Williams. Total mem- 
bership, 161. Present membership, 36. Regular meet- 
ing days, fourth Sunday and Saturday before in each 
month. 



276 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

SHILOH. 



Shiloh Church was constituted in Yalobusha County, 
Mississippi, June 23, 1835, with the following members : 
Lemuel Beene, Wm. Bsene, Jesse Beene, James Menasco, 
Sarah Beene, Francis Beene, Mary Beene and Elizabeth 
Abel. Elders Francis Baker and Moses Crowson 
formed the presbytery. 




Elder M. C. C. Maples, Former Moderator Hopewell Association 

Pastors: Elders Francis Baker, E. Moore, E>. A. 
Meaders, A. B. iMorris^ William Guess, W. M. Burke- 
shaw, J. P. Pilkinton, D. J. Neal, J. E. Dorris, J. F. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 277 

Morton, E. D. Williams and N. T. Easley. Total mem- 
-bership, 172. Present membership, 48. Regular meet- 
ing days, second Sunday and Saturday before in each 
month. 

ELAM. 

Elam Church was constituted in Yalobusha County, 
Mississippi, Sept. 25, 1847, with the following mem- 
bers : Johnathan Danham, Milbary Danham, John Dan- 
ham, Elizabeth Danham, William A. Oarr and Virginia 
Carr. Elders E. A. Meaders, Elisha Moore and Simpson 
Parks formed the presbytery. 

Pastonsi: E. A. Meaders, William Guess, E. D. 
Williams and A. B. Morris. Total membership, 113. 
Present membership 37. Regular meeting days, fourth 
Sunday and Saturday in each month. 

pilgrim's rest. 

Pilgrim's Rest Church was organized in Lafayette 
County, Mississippi, June 20, 1846, with the following 
members : Wm. L. Paris,, H. Greer, L. Hughes, G. W. 
Paris, H. P. Lynch, Polly Paris, Louise E. Paris, Eliza- 
beth Greer and Sarah Lynch. Elders E. Moore and E. 
A. Meaders formed the presbytery. 

Pastors: Elders E. A. Meaders, E. Paris, Wm. 
Guess, M. C. C. Maples, James Castleberry, J. S. Hucka- 
by, A. B. Morris, E. D. Williams, J. M. Powell and N. T. 
Easley. Total membership, 54. Present membership, 
34. Regular meeting days, third Sunday and Saturday 
before in each month. 

ANTIOCH. 

Antioch Church was organized in Lafayette County, 
Mississippi,, Dec. 30, 1836, with the following members : 
Joseph Laine, E. A. Meaders, James Dallahite, Robert 
Whitwell, Martha Laine, Jane Meaders, Gilly Dalla- 
.white, Nancy Whitwell and Purity Coleman. Elders 



278 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



Joseph Laine, Egbert A. Meaders formed the presby- 
tery. 

Pastors: Elders A. B. iMorris and E. D. Williams. 
Present membership, 30. Regular meeting days, first 
Sunday and Saturday before in each month. 

LAODICEA. 

Laodicea Church was constituted m Lafayette 
County, (Mississippi. The date, presbytery, members 
and pastors have been misplaced. Total membership, 




Elder E. A. Meaders, Former Moderator Hopewell Association 

141. Present membership, 69. Regular meeting days 
fourth Sunday and Saturday before in each month. 

MOUNT ZION. 

Mount Zion Church was constituted in a school- 
house in Pontotoc County,, Mississippi, April 17, 1910, 
with the following members: Marion Herndon, Jemima 
Herndon, Joe Collins, John Brown, Eliza Brown. Carrol. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 279 

Gooch, Alice Gooch, Hilliard, Harris and Dora Gilmore. 
Elders A. B. Morris and E. M. Verell formed the pres- 
bytery. Elder A. B. Morris, moderator, Joe Collins, 
clerk. Pastor: Elder A. B. Morris. Membership, 15. 
Regular meeting, second Sunday and Saturday before 
in each month. 

BETHEL. 

Bethel Church was constituted in Yalabushua 
County, Mississippi, Saturday before the third Sunday 
in June,, 1910, with the following members : R. A. Ford, 
George Benson, Nannie Martin and Maud Frost. Elders 
A. B. Morris and D. J. Neal formed the presbytery. 
Pastor, Elder A. B- Morris. Total membership, 10. 
Regular meeting days third Sunday and Saturday be- 
fore in each month. 

LOOSASCOONA. 

(Constitution not given). This church is located 
in Yalobusha County, Mississippi. Pastors: Elders B. 
Luallen, Z. T. Tankersley, John Robins, E. A. Meaders, 
A. B. Morris, J. P. Pilkinton, J. D. Neal, W. M. Burde- 
shaw, W. W. Coffer, E. D. Williams and N. T. Easley. 
Total membership, 88. Present membership^ 27. Regu- 
lar meeting days, third Sunday and Saturday before in 
each month. 

FRIENDSHIP. 

Friendship Church was constituted in Carrol] 
County, Mississippi, at the church house, September, 
1894, with the following members holding letters from 
Mount Pisgah church which were examined and found 
orderly and orthodox: T. J. McDonald, W. F. Mc- 
Donald, R. Hoves, Thomas Johnson, C. M. Thompson, 
Francis Wiltshire, M. M. McDonald, M. A. McDonald, 
E. A. Lott, M. S. Sullivan,, Mary L., Vance, and Virginia 
McDonald. Elders A. B. Morris and D. J. Neal formed 



280 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

the presbytery. Elder A. B. Morris, moderator and D. 
J. Neal, clerk. Pastors : Elders D. J. Neal, M. A. Rico, 
W. R. Humphreys and J. H. Ricks. Total membership, 
51. Present membership 34. Regular meeting days, 
first Sunday and Saturday before in each month. 
This church has never joined the association. 

ZION'S REST ASSOCIATION. 

We have no minute of the Constitution of this As- 
sociation; but think it was constituted out of the 
Bethany Association. It was formerly in good stand- 
ing, but it is now in disorder and most of its churches 
have grown small in number and almost obsolute for 
the want of pastoral care. It lies in Lauderdale, Kemp- 
er, Sumpter, Marion, Newton and Neshoba Counties in 
east and in south central Mississippi. In 1892 it em- 
braced the following churches: Fellowship, Enon, 
Mount Carmel, Mount Pleasant, Mount Zion, Friend- 
ship, Harmony, Mount Olivet and Hepzibah. Former 
correspondence, Little Zion, River Fork, Bethany and 
Pilgrim's Rest. 

NEW BETHEL. 

New Bethel Church was constituted at a school- 
house near Tylertown, Pike County, Mississippi, May 
31, 1885, with the following members holding letters 
from a Missionary Baptist church at the time ; tout were 
formerly baptized by the church before the division, not 
being aware of the separation between the Baptist De- 
nomination; they were examined and found sound in 
faith and agreeing to the Covenant, Articles of Faith 
and Rules of Decorum of the Primtive Baptists: John 
C. Rushing, Jonas L. Rushing, Matthew N. Rushing], 
James B. Johnson, James Obreant, Norrel E. Rushing, 
William A. Rushing, Wiley Rushing, Margaret A. Rush- 
ing, Martha E. Rushing, Sarena L. Rushing, Laura J. 
Obreant and Rebecca J. Smith. After due deliberation 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 281 

in reading the Covenant and Articles of Faith, they 
were declared a Primitive Baptist church. Elders John 
R. Temples, A. C. Lewis, John C. Wilkinson, Z. J. Wilk- 
inson, licentiate, and Joseph Nettles, deacon. Elder 
John R. Temples, .moderator and John C. Wilkinson, 
clerk. 

Pastors: Elders A. C. Lewis, Tison Wilkinson, Z. 
I. Wilkinson, B. F. Wilkinson, J. C. Wilkinson, and 
Theodore Nettles. Total membership, 69. Present 
membership, 41. Regular meeting days, first Sunday 
and Saturday before in each month. 

FELLOWSHIP. 

This church was constituted as Mount Carmel 
Church, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, before the di- 
vision. In 1848 the division came in the Baptist family 
in this country, and in 1851,, the Primitive Baptsts re- 
constituted in the same county. Pastors : Elders Austin 
Kelton, Gilbert Joyner, Thomas Melton Duke, John 
Brown, N. L. Pace., W. R. Darden, J. A. Cobb and R. 
L. Scott. Total membership, 69. Present membership 
13. Regular meeting days, fourth Sunday and Satur- 
day ibefore in each month. 

(The two last named churches have withdrawn 
fellowship from the Zion's Rest Association.) 

LITTLE ZION ASSOCIATION. 

Little Zion Association was constituted out of Zion's 
Rest Association, with members from the following 
churches: Zion's Rest, Salem, Pleasant Ridge and Mt. 
Horeb, at (Mt. Horeb Church, Choctaw County, Alabama, 
•Saturday, September 12, 1885. Elder J. D. Harrison 
preached the introductory sermon from Acts xiii. 26. 
The association elected Elder J. D. Harrison moderator 
and J. M. Christian clerk. We adopted the constitution 
of our former association. 

Churches, their membership, and messengers. — 



282 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



Mount Horeb, Choctaw County, Alabama; thirty-eight 
members ; J. D. Harrison, R. I. Blair, J. B. Cunningham. 
Pleasant Ridge, Wayne County, Mississippi; thirteen 
members; H. C. Cooley, John Esterling, N. C. Peter- 
son. Salem 4 Wayne County, Mississippi; fourteen mem- 




Elder L. F. Easely, Moderator Little Zion Association 



foers; W. M. Hutto, H. C. Easterling. Zion's Rest, 
Marengo County, Alabama; twenty-one members; John 
M. Christian. J. N. Parnell. 

Churches at present: 

First district. — Pleasant Grove, George County; 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 283 

Elder L. F. Easley, Lucedale, Miss., pastor; thirty-five 
members. Lebanon, Jones County; Elder S. E. Pen- 
nington, Decatur, Miss., pastor; twenty-six members. 
Philadelphia, Green County; Elder R. L. Blackledge,,. 
Richton, Miss., pastor; twenty-five members. Pleasant 
Home, Lamar County; Elder L. F. Easley, Lucedale, 
Miss., pastor; twenty-three members. Lebanon, Mobile 
County, Alabama; Elder L. E. Easley, Lucedale, Miss., 
pastor; thirty-eight members. 

Second district. — Palestine, Jones County; Elder L. 
F. Easley, Lucedale, Miss M pastor; sixty-seven mem- 
bers. Mount Pisgah, Clarke County; L. A. Satcher, 
Bergamot, Ala., pastor; eight members. Total mem- 
bership, two hundred eighty-six. 

Moderators.— Elders J. D. Harrison, 1885 to 1893; 
J. M. Christian, 1893 to 1895; J. L. Touchstone, 1895 
to 1900; L. F. Easley, 1900 to 1903. , 

Addresses of ordained ministers. — Elders J. L. 
Touchstone, R. 1, Laurel, Miss., L. F. Easley* R. 2, 
Lucedale, Miss. ; G. P. Mazingo, Waynesboro, Miss. ; W. 
J. Mazingo, Waynesboro, Miss. ; R. L. Blakeledge, Rich- 
ton, Miss. 

Licesntiates. — A. F. Robinson, Blackburn, Miss.; 
S. F. Graham, Blackburn, ( Miss. ; G. A. Bradshaw, Black- 
burn, Miss. 

Corresponding Associations. — Good Hope, River 
Fork, and Bethany. 

PLEASANT GROVE. 

This church was constituted in Mobile County, 
Alabama, at Lebanon Church on Saturday before the 
fourth Sunday in November, 1889, with the following 
members holding letters which were examined and found 
orderly and orthodox: John Mason, Sr., A. J. Lott, 
Luke Mason, Sarah Mason t , Ellen L. Lott and Visey 
Neely. Elders J. D. Harrison and N. C. Peterson formed 
the presbytery. Elder J. D. Harrison moderator and N. 
C. Peterson, clerk. 



284 HISTORY OF THIE CHURCH 

Pastors : Elders John Mason, J. M. Christian, L. F. 
Easley, S. R. Scott and L. F. Easley. Total membership, 
41. Present membership, 35. Regular meeting days, 
fourth Sunday and Saturday before in each month. 

PILGRIM. 

Pilgrim Church was constituted under a planer 
shed at Blackburn in Jones County, Mississippi, on 
Saturday before the fifth Sunday in April, 1906, with 
the following memibers holding letters which were ex- 
amined and found orderly and orthodox: A. T. Robin- 
son, M. E. Robinson and wife, J. C. Ulmer, J. H. Dob- 
son < Elizabeth Dobson, Francis Hollingsworth and wife. 
Elders J. L. Touchstone, L. F. Easley and A. B. Amer- 
son formed the presbytery.? Elder J. L. Touchston 
moderator and A. B. Amerson, clerk. 

Pastors : J. S. Thomas and A. Hollingsworth. Total 
membership, 48. Present membership 35. m Regular 
meeting days, fourth Sunday and Saturday before in 
each month. 

PLEASANT HOME. 

This Church was constituted in a schoolhouse in 
Lamar County, Mississippi, July 9, 1898, with the fol- 
lowing members holding letters which were examined 
and found orderly and orthodox: W. C. Beach, Dora 
Beach, iM. Beach, J. A. Parker, V. G. Parker, M. 
Parker, L. C. Parker H Hattie Jones, lL S. Beach, Pheiby 
Beach, Ary Jones and Easter Jones. Elders J. L. Touch- 
stone and L. F. Easley formed the preshytery. Elders 
J. L. Touchstone, moderator, and L. F. Easley, clerk. 

Pastors: L. E. Easley, J. J. Massey, M. F. Patton. 
and L. F. Easley. Total membership, 56. Present mem- 
bership, 23. Regular meeting days, fourth Sunday and 
Saturday before in each month. 



HISTORY OF TRIE CHURCH 285 

PALESTINE. 

Palestine Church was constituted in Jones County, 
Mississippi, on (Saturday before the first Sunday in 
August, 1889, with the following members holding let- 
ters from churches of the same faith and order, which 
were examined and found orderly and orthodox !M. A. 
Posey, R. Geddie, Madison Hlerington, Mahala Geddie 
and Nancy Touchstone. Elders J. D. Harrison, mod- 
moderator, and John Beach, clerk. 

Pastors : Elders J. L. Touchstone and L. F. Easley. 
Total membership, 87. Present membership, 67. Reg- 
ular meetings days, third Sunday and Saturday before 
in each month. 

LEBANON. 

This Church was constituted in Jones County, 
Mississippi, with the following members holding let- 
ters from churches of the the same faith and order, 
which were examined and pronounced to be orderly and 
orthodox. Elders J. D. Harrison, S. Busby and R. J. 
Blair formed the presbytery. Elder J. D. Harrison, 
moderator, and John Beach, clerk. 

Pastors: Elders J. D. Harrison, R. F. Jenkins, J. 
L. Touchstone, John A. Parker, J. J. Massey, J. M. 
Christian and S. E. Pennington. Total membership, 45. 
Present membership, 26. Regular meeting days, fourth 
Sunday and Saturday before in each month. 

PHILADELPHIA. 

Philadelphia Church was constituted in the church 
house in Greene County, Miss., Saturday before the first 
Sunday in October, 1884, with the following members 
holding letters from churches of the same faith and 
order: J. W. Lucas, Alexander McLean, Naomi Lueas^ 
Laura Neial Lucas and Mary I. Meaders. Elders John 
Mason, and J. R. S. Bullard formed the presbytery. 
Elder J. R. S. Bullard moderator, and John Mason, 



286 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

clerk. Pastors: Elders John 'Mason, N. C. Peterson, 
J. D. Harrison, R. J. Jenkins, L. F. Easley, and R. L. 
Blackledge. Total membership, 49. Present member- 
ship, 25. Regular meeting days, first Sunday and Sat- 
urday before in each month. 

LEBANON. 

This Church was constiuted in Mobile County, 
Alabama, Saturday before the third Sunday in Nov- 
ember, 1891, with the following members : Jeremiah 
Pierce, Rachael Anna Pierce, James I. Pierce, Polly 
Ann Pierce, Littleton Lee and J. R, S. Bullard. Elders 
I. L. Pennington and T. J. Moore formed the presby- 
tery. Elder I. L. Pennington, moderator, and J. R. S. 
Bullard, clerk. Pastors: Elders J. M. Christian, J. R. 
S. Bullard and L. F. Easley. Total membership, 112. 
Present membership, 38. Regular meeting days first 
Sunday and Saturday before in each month. 

MOUNT PISGAH. 

Mount Pisgah Church was constituted in Clark 
County, Mississippi, on Saturday before the second 
Sunday in July ,1891< with the following members hold- 
ing letters which were examined and found orderly <and 
orthodox: J. L. Satcher, L. A. Satcher and E. R. Cov- 
ington. Prayer was offered by Elder W. S. Ferguson, 
after which an impressive charge was delivered by El- 
der A. J. Craig and the church announced duly organ- 
ized. Elders A. J. Craig, moderator, and W. S. Fergu- 
son, clerk. 

Elders A. J. Craig and W. S. Ferguson formed the 
presbytery. 

Pastors: W. S. Ferguson, L. A. Satcher, J. J. 
Massey, L. F. Easley and S. F. Graham. Total member- 
ship, 33. Present membership, 16. Regular meeting 
days fourth Sunday and Saturday before in each month. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 287 

NEW HOME. 

This Church was constituted at the church house 
in Clarke County, .Mississippi,, November 27, 1909, with 
the following members holding letters which were ex- 
amined and found orderly and orthodox: H. I. E. 
Carrell, C. L. Sather, W. Williams, Nancy Carrell and 
V. A. Avera. Preaching by Elders L. F. Easley and W. 
R. Broom. Prayer Iby ! S. F. Moore. Elders L. F. Easley, 
L. A. Satcher, S. Carrell, W. S. Broom, E. R. Robin- 
son and S. F. Moore were the presbytery. Elders L. 
F. Easley moderator, and E. R. Robinson, clerk. Total 
membership, 8. Present membership, 8. Regular meet- 
ing days first Sunday and Saturday before in each 
month. 

GOOD HOPE ASSOCIATION. 

This association was constituted out of Bethany 
Association, at Good Hope Church, Simpson County 
Mississippi, on Saturday, Oct. 25, 1890, with churches, 
counties and delegates, who had letters as follows : 

Bethlehem, Jasper County; J. W. Shumaker, Wm. 
Massey, and G. M. Waldrrp. Providence, Jasper 
County; J. I. Wade, and J. G. Hankins. Good Hope, 
Simpson County; J. B. Purvis, B. Jennings and A. 
Kennedy. New Zion, Smith County; T. S. Manor, J. 
H. Thomas, and S. B. Ford. New Chapel, Scott County, 
A. J. Stewart,,, and D. D. Rhodes. 

Moderators.— Elders A. J. Stewart, 1890 to 1894 ; 
J. E. Alderman 1895; J. L. Joyner, 1896 to 1911. 

Clerks,— A. B. Amerson, - 1890 to 1895. Elder R. 
S. Scott, 1896 to 1911. 

Churches at present. — New Zion, Smith County; 
Elder J. E. Alderman, Gitano, Miss., pastor; twenty- 
five members. Elam, Smith County; Elder S. W. Shear- 
er, R. 2, Magee, Miss., pastor ; twelve members. Bethel, 
Jasper County; Elder J. E. Alderman, Gitano, Miss.; 
pastor; twelve members. Providence, Jasper County, 



288 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Elder J. E. Alderman, Gitano, Miss., pastor, fifty-one 
members. Hopewell, Jones County; Elder S. R. Scott, 
Lake Como., pastor, twenty-six members. Bethlehem, 
Jasper County, Elder S. R. Scott, Lake Como, Miss., 
pastor; twenty members. Union,, Newton County; Elder 




Elder J. L. Joyner, Moderator Good Hope Association 

J. L. Joyner, Morton, Miss., pastor ; sixteen members. 
Old Zion, Simpson County; Elder C. L. Clark, Ruth, 
Simpson County; Elder J. E. Alderman, Gitano, Miss., 
pastor; sixty-three members. New Chapel, Scott 
County; Elder J. L. Joyner, Morton, Miss., pastor; 
twenty-two members. Mount Olive, Scott County ; Elder 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 289 

J. L. Joyner, Morton, Miss., pastor; thirty-two mem- 
bers. New Hope, Rankin County ; Elder J. L. Joyner, 
Morton, Miss., pastor; twenty-three members. Lebanon, 
Simpson Couny; Elder S. W. Shearer, R. 2, Magee, 
Miss.., pastor; nine members. New Prospect, Simpson, 
County; Elder W. S. Shearer, R. 2, Magee, Miss., pas- 
tor; ten members. Total membership, three hundred 
forty-nine. 

Ordained ministers. — Elder J. L. Joyner, Morton, 
Miss. Elder J. E. Alderman, Gitano, Miss. Elder C. L. 
Clark, Ruth, Miss. Elder J. S. Thomas, Gitano,, Miss. 
Elder J. J. M.a.ssey, Purvis, Miss. Elder W. S. Shearer, 
R. 2, Magee, Miss. Elder S. R. Scott, Lake Como, Miss. 

Licentiates. — J. E. Smith, Soso, Miss. J. J. Wil- 
born, iSoso, Miss. W. S. Hollingsworth, Stringer, Miss. 
G. W. Jones, R. 2, Taylorsville, Miss. 

Correspondence, Bethany, Little Zion, and Amite 
Associations. 

GOOD HOPE. 

Good Hope Church was constituted at the residence 
of A. Kennedy, Simpson County, Mississippi, iMay 5, 
1883, with the following members holding letters of 
dismission from other churches which were examined 
and found orderly and orthodox: A. Kennedy, F. M. 
Roberts, S. F. Craft and C. J. Jones. Elders A- J. 
Stewart and S. B. Ford formed the presbytery. Elder 
A. J. Stewart, moderator, and Elder S. B. Ford, clerk. 

Pastors : Elders A. J. Stewart, J. L. Joyner and J. 
E. Alderman. Total membership, 104. Present mem- 
bership, 63. Regular meeting days, first Sunday and 
Saturday before in each month. 

LEBANON. 

This church was constituted at a school house in 
Simpson County, Mississippi, Saturday before the fourth 
Sunday in April, 191Q< with the following members hold- 



290 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

ing letters which were examined and found orderly and 
orthodox: Thomas Wade, Ida Wade, N. E. Johnson, 
Ada Johnson, H. H. Jones^ Nancy Jones, Ransom Craft, 
Sylvester Harrington, Annie Harrington and R. A. 
Barret. Elders L. F. Easley, C. B. Bowlin, S. W. Shear- 
er, J. S. Thomas and R. L. Blackledge, formed the pres- 
bytery. Elder L. F. Easley, moderator, and J. S. Thomas, 
clerk. Pastor, Elder S. W. Shearer. Total member- 
ship, 13. Present membership, 9. Regular meeting days 
fourth Sunday and Saturday before in each month. 

NEW PROSPECT. 
New Prospect Church was constituted in the grove 
in Simpson County, Mississippi, March 11, 1911, with 
the following members holding letters which were ex- 
amined and found orderly and orthodox: A. Layton, M. 
A. Layton,' F. A. Benton, A. B. Kennedy, W. F. Gill, 
A. M. Gill, F. (M. Wade, Ida Wade, J. J. Wade and F. 
L. Wade. Elders J. L. Joyner, S. W. Shearer and J. 
E. Alderman, with Deacons M. L. Shows, A. C. Roberts, 
H. H. Jones, Glen Walters and Jack Wade formed the 
presbytery. Pastor, Elder S. W. Shearer. Total mem- 
bership, 10. Present membership, 10. Regular meeting 
days, second Sunday and Saturday before in each 
month. 

UNION. 

Union Church was constituted in Newton County, 
Mississippi, at a school house near David McGee's, in 
April, 1855, with the following members holding letters 
from their churches: Richard McGee, W. I. McGee, 
Joseph Cates and I. L. Pennington. Elders W. H. 
Crawford and I. L. Pennington formed the presbytery. 
Elder W. H. Crawford moderator, and I. L. Pennington, 
clerk. 

Pastors, Elders I- L. Pennington, W. J. McGee, 
W. S. Ferguson and J. L. Joyner. Total membership, 
96. Present membership, 16. Regular meeting days, 
fourth Sunday and Saturday before in each month. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 291 

BETHEL. 

This Church was constituted in Jasper County, 
Mississippi, Saturday before the fifth Sunday in Octo- 
ber, 1898, at Pendleton school house with the following 
members holding letters from their churches: G. C. 
Ishee, W. M. Price, James E. Smith and C. E. Price. 
Elders W. S. Ferguson and T. J. Stamper, with Deacons 
J. N. Sims and W. Massey, formed the presbytery. El- 
der T. J. Stamper, moderator and W. W. Myriek, clerk. 

Pastors: Elders S. R. Scott, J. E. Alderman and 
W. S. Ferguson. Total membership, 17. Present mem- 
bership, 12. Regular meeting days, third Sunday, and 
Saturday before, in each month. 

BETHLEHEM. 

Bethlehem Church was constituted at W. M. Thig- 
pen's residence in Jasper 1 County, Mississippi, July 28, 
1883, with the following members holding letters which 
were examined and found orderly and orthodox : Will- 
iam Thigpen, William J. Philips, M. J. Philips. Elders 
I. L. Pennington and S. E. Pennington formed the Pres- 
bytery. Elder I. !L. Pennington, moderator and J. M. 
Dunagin, clerk. 

Pastors: Elders W. S. Ferguson, S. E. Penning- 
ton, R. F. Jenkins, S. V. Ford, A. B. Amason and S. 
R. Scott. Total membership, 63. Present membership, 
20. Regular meeting days first Sunday and Saturday 
before in each month. 

HOPEWELL. 

This Church was constituted at Matthews' school 
house in Jones County, Mississippi, on Saturday be- 
fore the fifth Sunday in - September, 1901, with the fol- 
lowing members holding letters which were examined 
and found orderly and orthodox: J. C. Ishee, M. V. 
Hill, S.' E. Grice, V. S. Hollingsworth, M. F. Hill, M. E. 
Ishee, Kizzie Wilborn, Eliza Grice, S. M. Wilborn. Eld- 



292 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



ters J. J. Mason, I> F. Easley, S. R. Scott and A. B. 
Amerson formed the Presbytery. Elders L. F. Easley, 
moderator and iS. R. Scott, clerk. 

Pastor, Elder S. R. Scott. Total membership, 32. 
Present membership, 26. Regular meeting days, second 
Sunday, and Saturday before^, in each month. 




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<v 

a 
a 

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PROVIDENCE. 

Providence Church was constituted in Jasper 
County, Mississippi, July 20, 1889, with the following 
members holding letters which were examined and 
found orderly and orthodox: J. E. Alderman, F. I. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 293 

Alderman, J. I. Wade, P. E. Wade,, Jasper N. Jones, W. 
M. Ford and T. J. Ford. Elders W. J. MeGee, A. J. 
Stewart, S. V. Ford and W. S. Ferguson formed the 
Presbytery. Elder W. J. IMcGee, moderator, and W. S. 
Ferguson, clerk. 

Pastors: Elders S. V. Ford and J. E. Alderman. 
Total membership, 61. Present memfoershipi, 51. Regu- 
lar meeting days, fourth Sunday, and Saturday before, 
in each month. 

ELAM. 

This Church was constituted in the grove in Smith 
County, Mississippi, on Saturday before the fifth Sun- 
day in May, 1897, with the following members holding 
letters which were examined and found orderly and 
orthodox : J. H. Thomas, J. S. Thomas, T. M. Thomas, 
S. E. Ethredge, Mary Duke, Brother and Sister Ama- 
son. Elders J. E. Alderman, J. L. Joyner and A. B. 
Amason formed the Presbytery. Elder J. L. Joyner, 
moderator, and S. R. Scott, clerk. 

Pastors: Elders A. B. Amason, C. P. Myrick, S. 
W. Shearer. Total membership, 16. Present member- 
ship, 12. Regular meeting days, third Sunday, and Sat- 
urday before, in each month. 

NEW ZION. 

This Church was constituted at the church house 
in Smith County, Mississippi, Saturday before the sec- 
ond Sunday in September, 1898, with the following 
members holding letters which were examined and found 
orderly and orthodox: W. M. Ford, T. S. Manor, E. W. 
Horn and T. J. Ford. Elders J. L. Joyner, A. B. Ama- 
son and J. E. Alderman formed the Presbytery. Elder 
J. L. Joyner, moderator, and A. B. Amason, clerk. 

Total membership, 34. Present membership, 25. 
Regular meeting days, second Sunday and Saturday be- 
fore, in each month. Pastors: Elders J. L. Joyner and 
J. E. Alderman. 



294 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

NEW HOPE. 

New Hope Church was constituted in Rankin 
County, Mississippi, Nov. 19, 1892, with the following 
members with letters of dismission from their churches, 
which were examined and found orderly and orthodox: 
W. C. Hopson, M. C. Hopson, J. L. Goodman, M. A. 
Goodman, J. T. Gray, E. E. Gray, J. B. Walters and A. 
P. Walters. Elders A- Hollingsworth and J. L. Joyner 
formed the Presbytery. Elders A. Hollingsworth, mod- 
erator, and J. L. Joyner, clerk. 

Pastor, Elder J. L. Joyner. Total membership, 
29. Present membership, 23. Regular meeting days, 
third Sunday, and' Saturday before, in each month. 

MT. OLIVE. 

This Church was constituted in Scott County, Miss- 
issippi, March 25, 1854, by Elders J. G. Crecelius and 
J. W. Carter, Presbytery, having been called on by cer- 
tain brethren for that purpose. 

Pastors: Elders Thomas Gray, W. A. Davenport, 
A. J. Stewart and J. L. Joyner. Total membership, 90. 
Present membership, 32. Regular meeting days, first 
Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

NEW CHAPEL. 

This Church was constituted at a school house in 
Scott County, Mississippi,, Jan. 22, 1842, with the fol- 
lowing members holding church letters: John Chand- 
ler, Sarah Chandler, Sr., Welcome Chandler, Sarah 
Chandler, Jr., Joseph L. 'Chandler, Cader Price, James 
Merchant, and W. H. Hollon. We did not get the Pres- 
bytery of this constitution. 

Pastors : Elders E. Loften, J. G. Crecelius, W. A. 
Davenport, Austin Kelton, A. J. Stewart, and J. L. 
Joyner. Total membership, about 100. Present mem- 
bership, 22. Regular meeting days, second Sunday, and 
Saturday before in each month. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 295 

OLD ZION. 

Old Zion Church was constituted at the church 
house in Simpson County, Mississippi, on Saturday, Oct. 
20, 1888, with the following members holding letters of 
dismission which were read, examined and found to be 
orderly and orthodox: S. M. Edwards, W. A. Hudson, 
and M. W. Welch. Elders A. J. Stewart and J. L. Joy- 
ner formed the Presbytery. Elder A. J. Stewart, Mod- 
erator, and S. T. Craft, Clerk. 

Pastors: Elders Sam M. Edwards, J. L. Joyner, 
and C. L. Clark. Total membership, . 77. Present mem- 
bership, 28. Regular meeting days, fourth Sunday, and 
Saturday before, in each month. 

. AMITE ASSOCIATION. 

We have not been able to get the constitution of 
this Association ; but have a minute as far back as 1868. 
We see that all the churches now in this Association 
were constituted since that date except Plymouth 
Church, which was constituted in 1857. Gleaning from 
the sketches we have, most of the churches must have 
gone Missionary in the division of the Baptists in that 
section, and a few coming out from the Missionaries, 
reconstituted the "Amite Association." 

All the Primitive Baptists in this Association now 
are sound. However, some churches have recently been 
dropped; and are not now in the Association, as the fol- 
lowing will show : 

(MMdleton's Creek, Franklin County, Mississippi, 
June 6, 1856; thirty-nine members. Plymouth, Amite 
■County, Mississippi, Nov. 27, 1857; eighteen members. 
Mount Gilead, Franklin County, Mississippi, Feb. 22, 
1873; thirty-eight members. New Bethel, Pike County, 
(Mississippi, May 31, 1885; forty-one members. Union, 
Pike County, Mississippi, Sept. 24, 1887 ; twenty-nine 
members. Smyrna, Franklin County,, (Mississippi, March 
26 ;) 1887 ; twenty-four members. Antioch, Lincoln County, 



296 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Mississippi, Nov. 26, 1870; twelve members. Ephesus, 
Jefferson County, Mississippi, S r ^+ ■ ighteen 

members. Philadelphia, Franklin County, Mississippi, 
Sept. 9, 1906; nine members. Goodwater, Lincoln 
County, Mississippi, Oct. 29, 1910; seventeen members. 
Total membership, 245. 

Ordained ministers. — Elder J. C. Wilkinson, R. 2, 
Gloster, Miss.; Elder Z. J. Wilkinson, R. 2, Gloster, 
Miss.; Elder T. W. Wilkinson, O'Neil, Miss.; Elder 
William Stevenson, Leedo, Miss. ; Elder A. C. Lewis, R. 
1„ McCalFs Creek, Miss. ; Elder C. B. Bowlin, Laurel, 
Miss. ; Elder Theo. Nettles, Taylor Town, Miss. 

Licentiates.^G. M. Cain, R. 1, McCall's Creek, 
Miss. ; C. M. Bealle, Liberty, Miss. 

Corresponding Association. — Good Hope. . 

MOUNT GILEAD. 

Mount Gilead Church was constituted in the church 
house in Franklin County, Mississippi, Feb. 22, 1873, 
with the following members holding letters which were 
examined and found orderly and orthodox: U. B. 
Vining, T. W. Wilkinson, A. C. Lewis, Rachael Vining, 
M. A. Wilkinson, Adaline Davis*,, Margarett Lewis, and 
Isabella Chisholm. Elders John R. Temple and U. B. 
Vining formed the Presbytery. Elder John R. Temple, 
Moderator, and T. W. Wilkinson, Clerk. 

Pastors: Elders U. B. Vininor, J. C. TT7 'lkinson, A. 
C. Lewis, F. T. Pool and A. C. Lewis. Total member- 
ship, 75. Present membership, 38. Regular meeting 
days, first Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

MIDDLETON'S CREEK. 

This Church was constituted in a school house in 
Franklin County, Mississippi, June 6, 1856, with mem- 
bers declaring non-fellowship with Mount Zion church 
in the same county for departing from t^e f^ith and 
simplicity of the gospel. After examination these were 



HISTORY O'F THE CHURCH 



297 



found sound in the faith and orderly, to-wit: John R. 
Temple, Needham Coward, Reuben Roundtree, James 
M. Reynolds, Susan Temple, Mlargarett Roundtree, Re- 
becca Ann Freeman and Sarah Melton. Elders C. W. 
McDonald, Rowland Wilkinson and S. Canterberry 
formed the Presbytery- Elder R. Wilkinson, Moderator, 
and S. Canterberry, Clerk. 

Pastors: Elders A. Wilkinson, E. Loften, J. R. 
Temple, A. C. Lewis, J. C. Wilkinson, W. J. Lewis, Z. J. 




Elder A. C. Lewis, Modderator Amite Association 

Wilkinson, T. W. Wilkinson, T. Nettles, and A. C. 
Lewis. Total membership, about 100. Present member- 
ship, 39. Regular meeting days, second Sunday, and 
Saturday before, in each month. 

GOODWATER. 
Goodwater Church was contsituted at a school 
house in Lincoln County, Mississippi, Oct. 29, 1910, 
with the following members holding letters which were 



298 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

examined and found orderly and orthodox : J. W. War- 
ren, C. T. Nordan, A. F. White, George Robinson, 
Jennie Smith, Matilda Smith, Susan Nordan, and L. A. 
White. Elders A. C. Lewis, C. L. Clark and W. T. 
Stevenson, with Deacons William Mullins, G. W. Smith, 
Dan Smith, and R. T. Stevenson, formed the Presbytery. 
Pastors : Elders C. L. Clark, and W. T. Stevenson. 
Total membership, 17. Regular meeting days, first 
Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

SMYRNA. 

Smyrna Church was constituted at the residence of 
Elder Poole, Amite County, Mississippi, March 26, 1887, 
with the following members holding letters from Mid- 
dleton's Creek;, which were examined and found orderly 
and orthodox: F. T. Poole, C. N. Poole, E. L. Poole, 
Jackson Whittington, Mosey Whittington, James Whit- 
tington, Mary Poole and Adelaide Poole. Elders J. R. 
Temple and J. C. Wilkinson formed the Presbytery. 
Elder J. C. Wilkinson, Moderator, and J. R. Causey, 
Clerk. 

Pastors: Elders T. W. Wilkinson, and William 
Stevenson. Total membership, 34. Present member- 
ship, 24. Regular meeting days, fourth. Sunday, and 
Saturday before, in each month. 

PLYMOUTH. 

This Church was constituted at the church house 
in Amite County, Mississippi Nov. 27, 1857, with the 
following members from Zion Hill Church, which was 
formerly a Primitive Baptist church before the division, 
and which were examined' and found sound in faith and 
doctrine : Rowland Wilkinson, Margarett Wilkinson, 
Temperance Wilkinson, Cyrenus C. Vannorman, John 
C. Wilkinson, Philadelphia B. Wilkinson, Elizabeth 
Courtney and Emily C. Griffin. Elders Samuel Canter- 
berry and R. Wilkinson formed the Presbytery. 

Pastors : Elders R. Wilkinson, E. R. Roundtree, U. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 299 

B. Vining, J. C. Wilkinson, W. M. Brecheen, B. F. Wil- 
kinson and Z. J. Wilkinson, Total membership, 64. 
Present membership, 18. Regular meeting days, third 
Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

UNION. 

Union Church was constituted on the Topasaw 
River in Pike County, Mississippi, Sept. 24, 1887, with 
members from a Baptist church in which a division on 
missions had taken place. These were examined on the 
Primitive faith and covenant and found orderly and 
orthodox: J. A. Raiborn, Harvey Boyd, H. S. Boyd, J. 
M. Boyd, C. F. Thornhill, J. M. Dunaway, Newton, J. 
N. Brewre, Winston McCollough, Lydia Raiborn, Casan- 
der Boyd, Teney Boyd, Abia Boyd, Laura Thornhill, 
Susian Greer, Coly Greer, Docia Thornhill and Martha 
Brewer. Elders W. J. 'Lewis, A. C. Lewis, T. W. Wil- 
kinson, J. €. Wilkinson, with Deacons Newel Rushing 
and Jones Rushing, formed the Pres'bytery, Elder J. C. 
Wilkinson, Moderator, and Elder T. W. Wilkinson, 
Clerk. 

Pastors: Elders A. C. Lewis, W. M. Brecheeni,, 
Theo Nettles and G. L. Clark. Total membership, 48. 
Present membership, 29. Regular meeting days, third 
Sunday, and Saturday before, in each month. 

ANTIOCH. 

Antioch Church was constituted at Enoch Alder- 
man's residence in Lincoln County, Mississippi, Nov. 
26, 1870, with the following members from Mount Pis- 
gah 'Church, who resolved to be reconstituted into An- 
tioch Church by withdrawing from the former church 
for disorder : E. L. Holland, W. N. Guess, John B. Rat- 
cliff, Enoch Alderman, Newton Johnson, Elizabeth A. 
Lofton, Mary L. F. D. Ferguson, Mary R. Holland, 
Lydia Ann J. Guess, Abigail Ratcliff, Susan A. Alder- 
man, Emeline P. Youngblood, D. E. Ferguson, E. Lof- 



300 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



ton, and J. R. Youngblood. Elders E. Lofton and J. R. 
Youngblood formed the Presbytery. Elder E. Lofton, 
Moderator, and D. E. Ferguson, Clerk. 

Pastors: Elders E. Lofton, J. R. Youngblood, A. 
C. Lewis, and C. L. Clark. Total membership, 75. Pres- 
ent membership, 12. Regular meeting days, third Sun- 
day, and Saturday before, in each month. 

NEW BETHEL. 

This Church was constituted at a school house near 
Tylertown, Pike County, Mississippi, May 31, 1885, 
with members holding letters from a Missionary Bap- 




Elder J. C. Wilkinson, Former Moderator Amite Association 

tist Church, not being aware of the separation of the 
two bodies of Baptists. These were examined and' 
found sound in faith and agreeing, to the covenant and 
articles of faith and rules of decorum of the Primitive 
Baptists : John C. Rushing, Jonas L. Rushing, Matthew 
N. Rushing, James B. Johnson, James Obreant, Norvel 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 301 

E. Rushing, William A. Rushing-, Wiley Rushing Mar- 
garet A. Rushing, Martha E. Rushing, Sarena L. Rush- 
ing, Laura J. Obreant, Angeline B. Rushing, Julia E. 
Rushing, Nancy M. Johnson, Katie Obreant and Re- 
becca J. Smith. After due deliberation in reading the 
covenant and articles of faith, they were declared a Prim- 
itive Baptist Church. Elders John R. Temples,, A. C. 
Lewis, and John C. Wilkinson, with Z. J. Wilkinson, li- 
centiate, and formed the Presbytery. Joseph Nettles, 
deacon. Elder John A. Temples, Moderator, and John 
C. Wilkinson, Clerk. 

Pastors : Elders A. C. Lewis, Tison Wilkinson Z. 
J. Wilkinson, B. F. Wilkinson, J. C. Wilkinson and Theo 
Nettles. Total membership, 69. Present membership, 
41. Regular meeting days, first Sunday, and Saturday 
before, in each month. 

EPHESUS. 

Ephesus Church was constituted at a school house 
in Jefferson County, Mississippi, Sept- 30, 1893, with 
the following members from churches of the same faith 
and order, which were examined and found orderly and 
orthodox: R. F. Stevenson,, W. F. Stevenson, C. T. 
Nordan, J. (M. Allen, G. E. Stevenson, Mary Stevenson, 
and E. T. Youngblood. Elders J. C, Z. J. and T. W. 
Wilkinson, with Deacon Z. R. Cosey, formed the Pres- 
bytery. 

Pastors: Elders Z. J. and T. W. Wilkinson, G. L. 
Evans, W. T. Stevenson, and C. L. Clark. Total mem- 
bership, 39. Present membership, 18. Regular meet- 
ing days, first Sunday, and Saturday before, in each 
month. 

PHILADELPHIA. 

This Church was constituted at the church house 
in Franklin County, Mississippi,, Sept. 9, 1906, with the 
following members who were examined and found sound 
in faith and orderly: Enoch Davis, John Matthews, 



302 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

Cicero Davis, John Davis, Robert Davis, Thomas Davis, 
Sarah Reeves, Barbara Matthews, Mollie Davis, Bettie 
Matthews and Wency Davis. Elders B. F. and Z. J. 
Wilkinson and M. C. Bealle formed the Presbytery. 
Elder Z. J. Wilkinson, Moderator, and B. F. Wilkinson, 
Clerk. 

Pastor, Elder W. C. Wilkinson. Total membership, 
9. Regular meeting days, second Sunday, and Saturday 
before,, in each month. 

LITTLE VINE ASSOCIATION. 

This Association lies in Alabama, all except two 
churches, Mount Gilead and Jim's Creek. 

MOUNT GILEAD. 

This Church was constituted at a school house near 
Calvin Martin's in Itawamba County, Mississippi, on the 
fourth Sabbath in August, 1866, with the following 
members, who were examined and found orthodox and 
orderly: Calvin Martin, Elizabeth Martin, Meredith 
Dig^by, Nancy Digby, F. M. Martin, Nancy Digby, Jr., 
Nancy Raper and George Warren.- Elders Jeremiah 
Daily and W. W. Rhyne formed the Presbytery. 

Pastors: Elders Jeremiah Daily, Aaron Cantrel,, 
G. W. Hiden, B. F. Cassy, Wister Allen and R. Holley. 
Total membership, about 60. Present membership, 22. 
Regular meeting days, fourth Sunday, and Saturday be- 
fore, in each month. 

JIM'S CREEK. 

Jim's Creek Church was constituted in Itawamba 
County, Mississippi, June 29, 1844, with the following 
members, found orthodox and orderly: Elders Robert 
Obarr, Eli Thompson, Sanders Mills and Samuel C. 
Johnson were Called upon to form a Presbytery. Mem- 
bers dismissed with letters from John's Creek Church 
to form Jim's Creek Church: Josiah Lindsey, Robert 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



303 



Rice, John N. P. Herder, David Purser, John Purser, 
John W. Revers, William Streetmam, Jeremiah Jobe, 
Trade Willis, Mark Stevens, Robert C. Purcer, Nancy 
Streetman, Elizabeth Ross, Lucinda Massingale, Rittie 




Elder A. J. McWhorter, Former Moderator Little Vine Association 

Lindsey, Zilpha Rice, Sarah Hardee, Sarah Purser, 
Eliza Purse, Malissa Willis, Nancy Stevens, Burcha 
Stevens, Elizabeth Harder, Mary Jobe, Rhoda Massin- 
gale and Mary Asborn. 

Present membership, 23. Present pastor, Elder 



304 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

John H. Carter. Regular meeting days, fourth Sunday, 
and Saturday before in each month. 

Conclusion. — This is as correct a statement as I 
could get of the churches in order in the state. I have 
found the church covenants, constitutions, articles of 
faith :'and rules of decorum of the Primitive Baptists 
virtually the same throughout the state of Mississippi. 
There; are eleven associations and ninety-two churches, 
with i total membership of 3,083. 

CHURCH COVENANT. 

11 Having in a judgment of charity and discre- 
tion towards ourselves and one another, first given our- 
selves; to the Lord, we agree to give ourselves to one 
another, by the will of God, in a visible congregational 
istate. 

2. We mutually agree to endeavor to keep the 
unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace. — Eph. iv. 3. 

3* We agree to love one another, in obedience to 
the command of Christ. — John xiii. 35. 

4. To sympathize with each other in prosperity 
and adversity. — Rom. xii. 15. 

5. To communicate with each other's necessities 
as circumstances may point out. — Gal. vi. 10. Heb. 
xiii. 16. 

6. To watch over one another and bear each 
other's infirmaties and admonish one another in faith- 
fulness and Christian tenderness. — Heb. xii. 15. Rom. 
xv. 10. 

7. To confess our faults one to another and to 
pray one for another. — Jas. xv. 16. 

8. To assemble ourselves together regularly for 
religious worship. — Heb. x. 25. 

9. To have no respect of iperson in church affairs 
as an act of partiality on account of difference in ex- 
ternal conditions. — Rom. xii. 16. 

10. To strive together for the faith of the gos- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 305 

pel and to earnestly contend for it, not suffering any 
human invention or unwarranted practice to be im- 
posed on us- — Phil. i. 21. Jude 3. 

11. That we will endeavor to be ensamples to each 
other and of a holy walk and a godly conversation in 
Christ. — 2nd. Peter iii. 11. 

ABSTRACT OF PRINCIPLES. 

1. We believe in one true and living God, the 
Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost,, and these three 
are one. — Deut. vi. 5, John xvii. 3 ; i. 1, 1st. John v. 7. 

2. We ibelieve the Scriptures of the Old and New 
Testaments are the revealed and written will of God, 
and the only true rule of faith and practice. — 2nd. Tim. 
iii. 16; Rom. xv. 4; 2nd Peter, xx. 21. 

3. We believe 1 in the doctrine of election by grace 
according to the foreknowledge of God, and that God 
chose His people in Christ before the foundation of the 
world.— Eph. i. 4; 2nd Tim. 1. 9; 1st Peter, 1. 2; John 
xv. 16; Eph. ii. 10, 

4. We believe in the fall of man, and that he is 
incapable of recovering himself therefrom. — Rom. iii. 9 ; 
x. 23 ; Ps. xiv. 3 ; John vi. 44 ; Eph. ii. 8, 9, 2nd Tim. xi. 

5. We believe that sinners are justified in the 
sight of God only by the imputed righteousness of 
Christ.— Rom. v. 6, 8 ; iv. 25 ; Titus iii. 5 , 6. 

6. We believe that God's elect shall be called and 
regenerated by the Holy Spirit. — Rom. viii. 28, 30; ix. 
11, 16; 1st Peter, ii. 9; Eph. i. 4, 7, 9. 

7. We believe that the saints shall persevere in 
grace and never fall finally away.^-Col. iii. 3-4; John 
xiv, 18, 20; x. 27, 29. 

8. We believe in the resurrection of the dead and 
a general judgment, and that the punishment of the 
wicked and the joys of the righteous will be eternal. 
— Acts xxiv. 15 ; John v. 28, 29 ; Acts xvii, 31 ; 2nd Cor. 
v. 10; Matt, xxv, 32, 34, 41, 46. 



306 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

9. We believe that 'baptism and the Lord's supper 
are ordinances of Christ, and that true believers are the 
only proper subjects, and that immerson in water is the 
true mode. — Matt iii. 15, 17; Luke ix. 35; Matt, xxviii. 
19, 20; xxvi. 26, 27; Luke xxii, 19; Acts ii. 41; viii. 36; 
x. 47 ; John iii. 23 ; Acts viii. 38. 

10. We believe that no minister has the right to 
the administration of the ordinances, only such as are 
regularly baptized, called and come under the imposition 
of the hands of a Presbytery. 

11. We believe that none but regularly baptized 
persons have a right to commune at the Lord's table. — 
Luke xxii. 14 ; Acts ii. 41, 42 ; 1st Cor. x. 21 ; xi. 29. 

12. We believe from experience, that no good can 
result to the church of Christ from any secret organi- 
zation; therefore, we declare non-fellowship with 
any church of this Association who has any member 
in fellowship who has membership in any secret organi- 
zation, under any name whatever they may be called. — 
2nd. Cor. vi. 14, 17; Rev. xviii. 4. 

RULES OF DECORUM. 

1. The church shall be opened and closed by 
prayer. 

2. Visiting members shall be invited to seats with 
us. 

3. An opportunity shall be given for the reception 
of members. 

4. When present, the pastor shall be Moderator, 
w*hen absent: there shall be one chosen from among the 
members to fill his seat. 

5. The clerk shall be elected by a majority of the 
members present and shall hold his office during the 
satisfaction of the church. 

6. Reference shall be called for by the Moderator. 

7. Only one mentor shall speak at a time, who 
shall arise and address the moderator with the appella- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 307 

tion of "'brother" and no member is to interrupt him 
unless he departs from the subject or uses personal re- 
flection. 

8. Every motion made and seconded shall be voted 
on unless withdrawn by the member or members making 
it and shall be decided before another is presented. 

9. The Moderator shall have the privilege to speak 
provided he call another member to his seat; but shall 
not vote at any time unless there be a tie. 

10. Any member making a charge against another 
and failing to prove it, shall be dealt with as the church 
may think proper. 

11. The Moderator shall have the right to call the 
church to order. 

12. No member shall walk, laugh, or talk in time 
of conference without being reproved hy the Moderator. 

13. All questions before the church shall be de- 
cided by the majority present except receiving members 
which shall be unanimous. 

14. It is the duty of all the members to attend 
regularly each church meeting, any m'ale member there- 
fore being absent one or more meetings shall at the 
next meeting thereafter render voluntarily the cause of 
sudh absence. 

15. These rules of Decorum may be revised or 
altered at any time when a majority of two-thirds of 
the members present concur. 

THE TWO COVENANTS. 

The word "Covenant" is used about 101 times in 
the Bible, il shall speak of it as two, (1) the Abrahamic, 
the agreement, the promises, circumcision of the flesh; 
(2) the new covenant, or circumcision of the heart, and 
mercies of God. A covenant is an agreement. 1. Prac- 
tices of the Abrahamic, Mosaic and Aaronic covenants. 
2. Comparison with the new or gospel covenant. 3. 
Types and shadows of the new : 



308 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

I. The work of (Moses. — What did Moses do? He 
was not a priest; but a great leader in Israel. One very 
bad thing he did was to disobey God in smiting the roek 
in the wilderness which prefigures the smitten Christ. 
Another bad thing he did was to sprinkle the people 
which has never been entirely eradicated from them. 
"For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the 
people according to the law, he took the blood of calves 
and of goats, with water, and scarlet .wool, and hysop, 
and sprinkled both the foook, and all the people, Saying, 
This is the blood of the testament (old) which God 
hath enjoined unto you. iMtoreover he sprinkled with 
blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the min- 
istry. And almost all tilings are by the law purged 
with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remis- 
sion. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of 
things in the Heavens should be purified with these; 
but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices 
than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy 
places made with hands, which are the figures of the 
true ; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the pres- 
ence of God for us."— Heb. ix. 19, 24. "Well," says the 
critic, "It was necessary that the patterns of things i* 
the Heavens should be purified with these." Yes, the 
Scripture says that; but what does the next clause say: 
"But the heavenly things themselves with better sacri- 
fices than these." Now if Christ set the example under 
the new covenant with better sacrifices — for he is the 
mediator of the new covenant, and Moses set the 
example under the old with blood, ashes, hysop and 
water which were figures of that to come, under the 
new, and the blood of goats and ashes of an heifer were 
to be laid down when the true blood or antetype should 
come — then it follows as a logical conclusion, that the 
sprinkling should be laid down, because all these were 
only types and shadows pointing to the gospel dispensa- 
tion as figures. Patterns are things to go by ; but these 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 309 

were for Israel until the reformation should come, and 
it has come. Christ never did those things. What did 
Moses say about Christ? "For Moses truly said unto 
the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise 
up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall 
ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you." 
— Acts iii. 22. If Moses said, "Hear Christ," his did not 
mean quit my patterns and follow those of Christ? 
"Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, 
Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are 
too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your 
devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO 
THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly 
worship, him declare I unto you,, God that made the 
world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of 
heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with 
hands; neither is worshipped with men's hands, as 
though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, 
and breath, and all things." — Acts xvii. 22-25. 

"And the time's of this ignorance God winked at; 
but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent." — 
Acts xvii.30. The first thing we notice in this chapter, 
Paul's spirit was stirred in him. Second, the Athenians 
were superstitious. Third, they were very devoted. 
Fourth, they had an altar. Fifth, they had a fine tem- 
ple. Sixth, they Wad instruments. -Seventh, they wor- 
shiped a god that needed something. Eighth, He hath 
made all nations of one blood. Ninth, He "Hath deter- 
mined the times (before appointed and bounds of their 
habitations." Tenth. "That they should seek the 
Lord." Eleventh, "That they were worshipping God 
ignorantly." Twelfth, That Cod winked at their igno- 
rance. Thirteenth, He commandeth all men everywhere in 
that ignorance to repent and come away from it. In 
the above Scripture we set everything that the Apostle 
Paul set aside without reference. Suffice it to say that 
it was all under the first covenant. A lady said to me 



310 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

once, "Why is it that you don't use the organ? Didn't 
David say, "Praise the Lord with the organ, the psaltry 
and the harp?" "Yes ma'am," I said, "And the dance. 
You have put the dance away and we have put both 
away because they were under the law." Christ hath 
redeemed us from the law. 

II. Types under the first covenant : 

1. The coat of skins. — This coat made of skins was 
the first promise made to man, and it was made in the 
garden of Eden to our Primitive parents. You can not 
skin anything without shedding blood. When God came 
to Adam and Eve, after the fall, he dressed them with 
coats made of skin both in front and behind. This is 
why I like a coat religion. When you begin to pull a 
coat on, you commence behind and pull it on, then 
around and button it up, then the whole body is made 
comfortable. It is my body I want saved in eternity. 
This is why I object to an apron religion. Adam and 
Eve made their aprons. An apron is to wear in front 
to hide shame. Some people just want enough religon 
to carry them through the world ; but I want a coat re- 
ligion that goes back behind the world and reaches 
into eternity in the front of the world. This is the doc- 
trine of the apostle : As God has "chosen us in him be- 
fore the foundation of the world. — Eph. i. 5. "Who 
hath saved us and called us" — according to our works, 
no— "not according to our works, but according to his 
own purpose and graoe^ which was given us in Christ 
Jesus before the world began." — 2nd Tim. i. 9. I am re- 
minded of the old darkey's ax handle. It was so short 
when he drove it through the ax far enough to wedge it, 
it was too short at the other end, finally he said : "The 
thing was too short at both ends." So it is with condi- 
tional salvation, it is too short at both ends. Let's 
look back at what God has done for us in the past, and 
then look forward to what Jesus is doing for us in hope 
of heaven. This doctrine gives God the glory and makes 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 311 

us the happy beneficiaries of his grace. I do not see 
how any one can not rejoice in this doctrine that claims 
a hope. 

2. Abel's lamb. — There were four things cursed 
after the fall of man. The Lord put a curse upon the 
man, the woman, the earth and Satan. And man has 
been under that curse and will remain there until the 
application of the blood is made by the atonement 
through the aperation of the Holy Spirit in bringing 
the lawful captive out of the prison. The Lord did not 
accept Cain's offering. Why? He offered his own 
work, the fruit of his own hands, an offering from the 
earth which had been cursed and God could not accept 
an oblation from the cursed. But the lamb contained 
blood and was the second type of Christ and was the 
firstling of Abel's flock. If Cain represents the natural 
man and Abel the spiritual man, and God did not 
accept Cain's .sacrifice, then it follows, "could He accept 
the works of an unregenerate man todtey? No, for the 
unregenerate man is under the curse. "The natural 
man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; for 
they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know 
them, because they are spiritually discerned." — 1st. Cor. 
ii. 14. "The carnal mind is enmity against God ; for it 
is not subject to the Paw of God, neither indeed can be. 
So then they that are in the flesh can not please God." - 
Rom. viii. 7-8. The man must first be a spiritual man. 
Now I will preach to the natural man just like the first 
Baptist did, and I know he was' a Primitive ; for he was 
the first, "Then s'aid he to the multitude that came forth 
to be baptized of him, 'Bring forth therefore fruits 
worthy of repentance.' " And when they could not pro- 
duce the fruits, "The people asked him, saying, 'What 
shall we do then?' He answereth and saith unto them, 
'He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that 
hath none ; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. 
Then came also publicans to be baptized and said unto 



312 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

him, 'Master what shall we do?' And he said unto 
them, 'Exact no more than that which is appointed you.' 
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, 'And 
what shall we do?' And he said unto them, 'Do viol- 
ence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be con- 
tent with your wages'." — Luke iii. 7-15. Here is a lot 
of preaching, and it is good works and is for the natural 
man, not in order to eternal life ; but to obey the moral 
laws . If every man would do this, we would have a bet- 
ter world. Don't you think so? Then if John gave 
every body something to do, why will people say Old 
Baptist preach the "Stool of Domothing?" Wasn't John 
an Old Baptist. 

3. Noah's sacrifice. — The first thing Noah did,, 
when he came out of the ark, was to make an oblation 
or an offering to the Lord. 

4. Abraham's offering. — As Isaac was a figure of 
Christ, this type shows more fidelity and loyalty than 
any we have presented and is more striking and drama- 
tic in effect. Little Isaac was carried to the mountain 
(iMoriah) where our blessed Redeemer was crucified, 
'and there offered in type of Christ ; but God who is rich 
in mercy, saw fit to prepare a lamb and place it in the 
bush near by to take the place of Isaac. No doubt Abra- 
ham's faith was tested ; but this was not all in the test. 
God said, "For now I know that thou fearest God." 
God begets faith, faith begets fear, fear begets obedi- 
ence. Obedience is a test of heirship. Abraham had 
faith before he obeyed God and God knew it; but God 
tested his faith by his work, and after the demonstration 
said now I know that thou fearest God. Do your chil- 
dren obey you to become yours or do they obey you be- 
cause they are our children? The apostle said, "Abra- 
ham believed God and it was counted to him for right- 
eousness." But Abraham obeyed God and God showed 
mercy through the demonstration of faith in saying, 
Abraham stay thy hand and do the child no harm. Notice 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 313 

Abraham never received the restoration of Isaac until 
after he had obeyed, neither did Christ enter into the 
full fruition of his glory until he performed' the work 
assigned him. 

5. The Passover. — The word Passover signifies a 
passing over ; the night the death angel passed over the 
house of the children of Israel leaving them unmolested 
and destroying the first male born of the Egyptians. 
The Lord told 'Moses and Aaron to take the best lamb 
of the flock, how to prepare it, to strike the blood on the 
lintels of the door; the angel seeing it would pass over 
that house. No foreigner nor stranger was to eat the 
passover; but if any man would eat it, let him be cir- 
cumcised, then he becometh as one born in the land. 

6. The Circumcision. — The passover was eaten in 
lieu of the sacrament, and circumcision was in lieu 
of regeneration.. "If the uncircumcision keep the right- 
eousness of the law, shall not his umcircumcision be 
counted for circumcision? For is not a Jew which is 
one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is 
outward in the flesh : But he is a Jew, which is one in- 
wardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the 
ispirit, and not in the letter whose praise is not of men, 
but of God. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcis- 
ion is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments 
of God. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avail- 
eth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which 
worketh by love. For we are the circumcision which 
worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus 
and have no confidence in the flesh. In whom also ye 
are circumcised with the circumcision made without 
hands, in putting off the body of sins of the flesh by 
the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in bap- 
tism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the 
faith of the operation of God Who hath raised him from 
the dead. The Pentecostians were circumcised in heart 
and cried out to Peter and to the rest of the apostles. 



314 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

"What shall we do?" Peter said, "Repent and be bap- 
tised." Circumcision of the heart was the antecedent 
that gave rise to repentance and baptism. The sacra- 
ment was to take the place of the pass-over and circum- 
cision of the heart was to take the place of circumcision 
of the flesh. "Therefore we conclude that a man is jus- 
tified by faith without the deeds of the law. Seeing it is 
one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, 
and the uncircumcision through faith. For if Abrah im 
were justified by works he hath whereof to glory; but 
not before God. (Paul). "Was not our Father Abra- 
ham justified by works, whein he had offered Isaac h^ 
son upon the altar?" (James) . How then does James 
say Abraham was justified by works and Paul says 
Abraham was justified by faith? Abraham was justified 
by works before men and by faith before God. The 
two seeming contradictions which is the work of priests, 
we now have brought together. Then verily the first 
covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a 
worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; 
the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and 
the shewbread ; which is called the sanctuary. And after 
the second vail, the tabernacle which is called the Ho- 
liest of all ; which had the golden censer, and the ark of 
the covenant overlaid round about with gold wherein 
was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod 
that budded, and the tables of the covenant." There 
were two courts, the outer and inner, to this tabernacle 
with the vail between them, the brasen vessel of Holy 
water on ihe outside held up by twelve brasen oxen, the 
(basin of laver on the outside. The priest would first 
bathe in the Holy water, put on a linnen garment and 
go in the outer court accomplishing the service of God 
every Sabbath; but the High priest would go into the 
inner court once every year not without .blood, and 
make an atonement. The meat, the tresspass and peace 
offerings were made in the outer court for the congrega- 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 315 

tion; but the annual atonement was made in the inner 
court alone. The Holy water prefigured baptism, the 
linen (garments the imputed righteousness of Jesus 
Christ,, the mitre upon his head with the word Holiness, 
the plaited crown of thornsi v and the breastplate with 
names, the twelve tribes of the children of Israel, the 
seven candles, the seven Christian graces and the re- 
flection of the light made by the bells and pomegranates 
attached to his robe, was a figure of that miraculous 
shekinah of the glory of God. 

Ordinances of the first covenant classified: (1) 
Meats. (2) Drinks. (3) Divers Washings. (4) 
Sprinkling. (5) Incense. (6) Lights. (7) Altar. 8) 
Organ and Teaching. (9) Prayer and Thanksgiving. 
(10) Paying Tithes, Cummin and Mint. (11) Vail. 
(12) Passover. (13) Circumcision. (14) Infant Re- 
ception. (15) Pasting. (16) Pentecost. (17) Law of 
the Mosaic Church. 

Commandments of the New Covenant Classified. — 
1. Bring fruits meet for repentence. 2. Baptism by 
immersion. 3. Sacrament and feet- washing. 4. Visit 
the widow and orphan in their affliction. 5. Keep 
yourself unspotted from the world. 6. Follow them 
not into the secret chamber. 7. Shun every appear- 
ance of evil. 8. Pray, give thanks, be filled with the 
spirit. 9. Be faithful to your pastor, the poor and 
the needy. 10. Know them that are placed over you 
and admonish you in the Lord. 11. Esteem them very 
highly in love for their work's sake. 12. They shall 
oiot teach to know the Lord. 13. For they shall all 
know me. 14. If ye know these things, happy are ye 
if ye do them. 15. If ye love me, keep my command- 
ments. 16. Add the Christian graces to your faith. 
17. "All men shall know ye are my disciples, if ye have 
love one for another. " 

Dear reader, which covenant are you under? He 
taketh away the first that he might establish the second. 



316 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

He hath obtained a more excellent ministry ; for "He is 
the mediator of a better covenant which was estab- 
lished upon better promises." For He is the mediator 
of the New Testament. Then Moses must have been 
the mediator of the Old Testament and said, "Hear 
Christ," and God said, "This is my beloved Son in whom 
I am well pleased ; hear ye him." "Wherefore if ye be 
dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world ; why, 
as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordi- 
nances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are 
to perish with the using;) after the commandments 
and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a 
shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neg- 
lecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying 
of the flesh." The body here is the church, and don't 
you see it says, "A show," not a reality. This Scripture 
is referring you to the ordinances of the first covenant, 
"wherefore come out from among them, and be ye 
separate," — saith I, no, — "saith the Lord," and touch 
not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will 
be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and 
daughters^ "saith the Lord Almighty." "In that he 
saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now 
that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish 
away." "The Holy Ghost this signifiying, that the way 
into the holiest of all was not made manifest while as 
the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a 
figure for the time then present, in which were offered 
both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that 
did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience ;" 
but stood in "carnal ordinances, imposed on them until 
the time of reformation." Having therefore, brethren, 
boldness to enter into the holiest 'by the blood of Jesus. 
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated 
for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And 
having an high priest over the house of God : Let us 
draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 317 

having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience," 
not our heads, "and our bodies washed with pure 
water." 

Heirs of Salvation. — "Wherein God willing more 
abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the im- 
mutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath : That 
by two immutable things, in which it was impossible 
for God to lie, we might have a stronger consolation, 
who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set 
before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the, 
soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into 
that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us 
entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever 
after the order of Melchisedec. Where there is a will, 
"there must also, of necessity, be the death of the testa- 
tor:" "otherwise," a wall "is of no strength at all while 
the testator liveth.' In rehearsing the above, we see 
that the performance of those ordinances did not and 
could not make him that did the .service perfect; but 
the bringing in of a better hope did. Which hope we 
have as an anchor of the soul, iboth sure and steadfast, 
and Christ is that hope and anchor ; because he is sure 
and steadfast^ and is entered within the veil as the high 
priest went behind the veil in the tabernacle to make an 
atonement. This Scripture teaches that Christ made the 
atonement in heaven above around the Father's throne 
in the shekinah of his glory, "For if the blood of bulls 
and of goats and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the 
unclean, sanctifieth to the Purifying of the flesh : How 
much more shall the blood of Christ who through the 
eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, 
purge your conscience from dead works to serve the liv- 
ing God." To make a will, there must be a testator, an 
executor, two or three witnesses and the party to whoi" 
the will is made. Each heir is named and described 
in the will, the inheritance is described and located going 
to each heir. Suppose one heir should fail to get its 



318 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

inheritance. What about the will? Would not the will 
have to be changed? Would not this involve the testa- 
tor again? Would not this destroy the sovereignty and 
will of the tstator of whom it is said, "Whatsoever 
God doeth, it shall he forever?" If this will is broken, 
it will throw it back under the law ; for that is where all 
broken wills go for adjustment or settlement. Then we 
are all gone; because we are thrown under the curse 
again, and if under the curse again, we have no more 
sacrifice; for this would put Christ to an open shame, 
seeing you crucify him afresh. "For as it is appointed 
unto men once to die; but after this the judgment." If 
Christ can not die again, there's no more sacri- 
fice^ and if no more sacrifice, the will can not 
be broken, if the will cannot be broken, then 
one of them cannot be lost. For Christ said, "I came 
down from heaven not to do mine own will ; but the will 
of him that 'sent me. And this is the Father's will which 
hath sent me, that of all Which he hath given me, I 
should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the 
last day." "And this is the will of him that sent me, 
that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on 
him may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up 
at the last day." "Blessed are they that have not seen 
and yet have believed." Another seeming contradiction 
appears. "How shall the believe in him whom they 
have not heard? And how shall they hear without a 
'Preacher?" We see spiritual, things with the spirit, 
hear with the spirit, sing with the spirit, understand 
with the spirit and receive with the spirit. For "Eye 
hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into 
the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared 
for them that love him ; But God hath revealed them to 
us by his spirit." God is the testator, Christ the execu- 
tor, Christ and the Holy Ghoost witnesses; true be- 
lievers, the heirs of promise and the inheritance eternal 
life. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 319 

Summary of the will and New Testment Covenant. 
— "For this is the covenant thai I will make with the 
house of Israel after those days l;j siith the Lord; I will 
put my laws into their mind, and write them in their 
hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall 
be to me a people : And they shall not teach every man 
his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying- know 
the Lord : for all shall know me, from the least to the 
greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteous- 
ness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remem- 
/ber no more." — He'b. viii. 10-13. 

Now, Mr. Critic, please do not come up and say, 
"Every enactment or law of the Statutes is a law until 
repealed by the Supreme Court and it takes the same 
power to repeal that law that made the law. I ask you in 
the name of the New Covenant, is not this special legis- 
lation on the "Old Covenant" repealed by the Supreme 
Judge of the Universe that made the first Covenant? 
"Seeing they continued not in my Covenant saith the 
Lord, I will make a new covenant with the house of 
Israel." Who is teaching to know the Lord? "Where 
is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world?" 
Under the Old Covenant. Tell me, ye that desire to be 
under the law,, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, 
that Abraham had two sons,, the one by a bondmaid, the 
other by a free woman. But he who was of the bondwo- 
man was born after the flesh ; but he of the free woman 
was by promise. Which things are an allegory : for 
these are the two covenants; the one from the Mount 
Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is 
Agar. For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia 
and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, in bond- 
age with her children. But Jerusalem Which is 
above is free, which is the mother of us all. 
For it is written, Rejoice thou barren that near- 
est not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; 



320 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

for the desolute hath many more Children than she 
which hath an husband. Now we brethren, as Isaac 
was, are the children of promise. But as then he that 
was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born 
after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what 
saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her 
son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir 
with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we 
are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." — 
Gal. iv. 21-31. Leah had ten sons and Rachel two. 
Leah and her sons are a figure of the church with ten 
commandments under the first covenant. Rachel and 
her two sons are a figure of the church of Christ and the 
Holy Ghost under the new covenant. Leah was tender- 
eyed. Rachel was loved. Jacob never worked for Leah ; 
but worked fourteen years for Rachel. As Jacob doulbly 
paid for Rachel, so Christ doubly paid for the church. 
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her 
that her warfare is accomplished, that her 
iniquity is pardoned ; for she hath received of the Lord's 
hand double for all her sins." — Isaiah, xi. 2. Christ paid 
the deibt on both sides of the crucifixion, or under both 
covenants, which makes it doubly paid. But fraud was 
practiced on Jacob, and Leah put off on him. So it is 
today, there are so many Leahst, weak churches that 
need so many auxiliaries to make them stand, and if 
you take helps away, they are sure to fall. When one 
of God's dear children becomes tired of sin and desires 
to marry Christ and be the bride the church, there is a 
false minister on every corner ready to offer him Leah, 
and the poor little child, Jacob-like in the dark, don't 
know any better until the daylight reveals the truth to 
him. * 

Alas! poor, little, innocent fly, 

That comes- buzzing softly by; 

Mr. iSpider 'has laid his cunning snare, 

To catch you for his breakfast fare. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 321 

Dear little innocent Jacob fly. 

In the covenant of love, thee I often spy; 

And would fain set thee free; 

Still none but Jesus can make a Baptist of thee. 

The mother of harlots says, "If I can only keep them 

ten years, 
They never will depart from our fait'h, 
Then we'll have no fears.'' 
And what will the harlots say? 
The desolate woman hath many more children, 
Because she is in the broadway. 

Leah was desolute; so was Agar; "For this Agar 
is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and is in bondage." Why 
do the children stay with the desolate woman after we 
have warned them? It is natural for a child to love 
its tutor, especially if she is the mother. What did the 
first mother teach? "And when the woman saw that the 
tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the 
eyes, and a tree to be derived to make one wise, she 
took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave unto 
her husband with her and he did eat." 

Dear reader, if you wil look at the aibove Scripture, 
it will give you the key to the whole desolate church; 
but don't tell your preacher,,, I don't want him to know 
it. The veil is over his face and the Bible says, it will 
stay there until the Lord taksis it away. To the natural 
man, this same tree appears good, it is pleasant to the 
eyes and looks like a tree to be desired to make one wise; 
but did not say it would make one wise. You need not 
be surprised at your children; this same spirit (beguiled 
our mother Eve, and if it deceived her, as good as we 
think she was at the time, what are our children ? Adam 
and Eve multiplied going down the current of sin. I 
further believe that thousands of God's dear children 
are sleeping with Leah, just as much as I believe Jacob 
was a child of God. "Wherefore he saith, Awake thou 
that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall 
give thee light." And have no fellowship with unfruit- 
ful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For 
it is a shame even to ispeak of those things which are 



322 HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 

done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved 
are made manifest by the light; for whatsoever doth 
make manifest is light." — Eph. v. 11-15. As it took 
sunlight to reveal the truth to Jacob, so it takes Sonlight, 
the transcendent rays of the Sonlit Christ to reveal the 
heavenly visions to one in darkness. "No man knoweth 
the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any man the 
Father, save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son 
will reveal him." — Math. xi. 27. "For wide is the gate, 
and broad is the way,., that leadeth to destruction and 
many there be which go in thereat." . There is one 
consolation for Eve, Leah, Agar and the church of 
desolation. The passage I just quoted never said, 
leadeth to eternal destruction. If it had, I would 
have said, "Goodlby; gone forever!" But there is a ray 
of hope in the reading "Strive to enter in at the straight 
gate," for "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way 
which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." 
Do you not see the desolate or children of the bondwo- 
man and the children of the freewoman in that? It never 
said eternal life nor eternal destruction. It means a few 
find the true way to obedience and many are following 
the old covenant. "When it tunneth to the Lord, the 
veil shall be taken away." 

Written on Christmas Day, 1909, for the comfort 
of the weak, and the edification of the faithful. I 
wish all the dear ministers of God a happy Christmas, a 
happy New year, a pleasant and well spent life, that the 
world may be blessed by you, the church fed with the 
precious gospel of the greatest Christmas Gift ever 
given to the children of the living God. Dear pastors, 
are you today keeping your flocks both by day and by 
night as did the shepherds when the angel said unto 
them).,. "Fear not : for, behold, I bring you good tidings 
of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto 
you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, 






HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 323 

which is Christ the Lord." "And suddenly there was 
with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising 
God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on 
earth peace, good will toward men." "My soul doth 
magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God 
my Saviour." For he that is mighty hath done to me 
great things; and holy is his name." "His mercy is on 
them that fear him from generation to generation." "He 
hath filled the hungry with good things ; and the rich 
he hath sent empty away." 

POETRY. 

Just as I aria without one plea, 
Oome I, oh .blessed Dord, to thee; 
Without one degree of merit, 
I hope thy kingdom to inherit. 

Though sin-defiled and all undone, 
The blood of Jesus made me clean; 
And made me love him, oh so dear, 
Who did my poor petition hear. 

When all was dismal, drear within 
My blessed Saviour took me in; 
And made me love Him with my heart 
And from His cause I'd ne'er depart. 

May days on earth must be but few; 
I want His blessed will to do: 
And when at last I must go hence 
I want to die in confidence. 

I'd live in honor to His name ; 
Who from the courts of glory came; 
To die for sinners on the cross 
And purge them of their sinful dross. 

Composed by Elder John T. Blanchard, 

Dennis, Mississippi. 
POETRY. 
Dear Phila and children all, 

I bid you farewell; 
I am sorry to leave, 

I love you so well, 
But now I must go, and where I don't know; 
But where my country calls me, there I must go 

Strange friends I shall find, and hope they'll prove kind, 
But people nor place shall ne'er alter my mind; 



324 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



Wherever I be, I shall still pray for thee, 

And, oh dear loved ones, do you pray for me. 

Tis with yon I have sweetly lived for awhile; 

'Such living is sweet, if Jesus doth smile; 
And when such is done, may we all go home, 

Where Jesus is smiling and bids us all come. 

Then cherished ones for awhile I bid adieu; 

My heart it filled with sorrow, but still I must go. 
If I see you no more till the trumpet doth sound, 

May we all meet in heaven where pleasures are found. 

'Tis there we shall meet in harmony sweet, 

All dressed in white linen to bow at His feet; 

We'll join the bright throng and sing a new song, 
All glory, all glory, to God and the Lamb. 

Composed by Elder J. C. Wilkinson. 



RPR I!' m 






MAR 26 1912 




,-V 




